


Years Gone By

by AmbrosiaRush



Series: Nomad Series [3]
Category: Sons of Anarchy
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-20
Updated: 2013-04-20
Packaged: 2017-12-09 00:48:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 32
Words: 59,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/768037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmbrosiaRush/pseuds/AmbrosiaRush
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'Happy wasn't dense, he had realized that on some level the little girl had- for reasons he couldn't figure out- taken to him. Then again, she was a friendly kid, he hadn't met a man in a kutte she hadn't taken to.' Moments in Happy's life where they intersect with Quinn's daughter, Indiana.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Death

**Author's Note:**

> Previous in series: The Man With The Smiley Face Tattoo

Happy was twenty-five and patched in with the Redwood Originals. He knew most of the sons picked a charter and stuck with it, maybe moved once or twice. Happy preferred being Nomad but when his bike got damaged and he had to take the time for repairs it made more sense to settle down for a while with the charter that ran a garage.

He needed the space and the time for repairs, besides there was little currently for Nomad business and he needed to earn, besides, every now and then he enjoyed staying in one spot, and he got along well with the members of SAMCRO.

Clay Morrow was the president, had been for the past year and a bit after the untimely death of John Teller, he left behind his wife Gemma, and his son Jackson. The club had mourned the loss of one of the First 9 and Happy had been present at the funeral- most of the Sons had been.

The day was pretty cool, the doors of the garage wide open, a nice breeze stirring up the stagnant air. He sat on a milk crate as he worked on his bike. He glanced outside, on the lot was a row of motorcycles, a tell-tale sign that most of the guys were around. Tig was working on his bike in the garage and Chibs was there servicing a car.

Gemma came out of the office, Happy knew this even though he was facing the opposite direction. The woman had a thing for heeled boots and they announced her getting closer, until she was standing right next to him. "That thing fit to ride yet?" she asked.

"It runs," Happy responded. He was still waiting on a few pieces to switch out, some mechanical, some more on the cosmetic side. He took care of his bike, but during a gun run one of the idiots decided they'd try and just take the guns without paying, Happy's bike had quite nearly been a casualty. Frankie Diamonds had shot the dumb son of a bitch, and they'd taken the guns and money back. For the trouble, Quinn had given him a little extra to help pay for the repairs on his bike.

Gemma let out a sigh and placed a hand on his shoulder and that had him looking up at her. She was a good looking woman, not that he'd ever be stupid enough to make a move on her, he liked his dick still being attached thank-you-very-much.

She seemed to realize he liked his personal space and had thus far been more than content to leave him be, so the gesture had him giving her a questioning look. He waited since she seemed to be working her way up to something.

"Quinn called."

Happy didn't realize it, but he was holding his breath.

"Some chick, Martha died. Heart attack," Gemma clarified the given cause of death, figuring the man should know it wasn't anything to do with the club, just a hard life catching up to the body. "Funeral is in a couple days. He's trying to let the Nomads, and former Nomads know."

Happy looked back at his bike as he wiped his hands on a rag while he processed the information. Martha was a bartender at Quinn's bar. Nice enough lady, he supposed though he hadn't really taken to the older woman. However, she was a staple at Sanctuary, respected by the Nomad charter, and she was kind of like a grandmother to the little Nomad princess, Indiana. "Shit," he said finally. He looked up at the Queen. "Can you tell Clay I've got to make a run to Red Willow?"

"Sure, hon," Gemma let her hand slip away, he heard her heels retreat.

Chibs peered over the other side of the bike and since Happy knew the man would wait patiently, he finished what he was working on and then sat back looking up at Chibs. "Yeah?"

"Did you know her?"

Happy didn't pretend not to know what Chibs was talking about, surely he'd heard Gemma and him talking. "Not well," Happy admitted. "She just ran the bar."

"But you're going."

Happy was quiet a minute. "Seems like the right thing to do."

Chibs nodded. "Need someone to ride with you?"

Happy shook his head. "Thanks brother, but no."

Chibs nodded again before turning to return to work.

::

The funeral went by quick enough, and it seemed as if every member of the Nomad charter was standing around the hole in the ground. A sea of reapers seemed all the more ominous in the setting. There were flowers, pretty nice ones too. As the service ended the sea disbursed. There was crying, but it seemed to only have one origin and it was easy enough to find.

Happy found it odd, and yet completely natural to see the Nomad President, Quinn with his kutte on, tattooed arms, long hair and currently braided beard, crouched down before the small girl who was wiping her eyes on the back of her hands. Happy knew he had to pay his respects and then he could head back to Charming so he sucked it up and made his way over and stood beside Tink.

"Hey Hap, thanks for coming," Tink said, all the dark makeup hid her surely red rimmed eyes, but the tears she continued to blink back gave her away.

Happy nodded his head to Indiana who was with Quinn a little ways away. "How's she?"

Tink sighed. "Sad. She's just a kid. Martha was like a mom to her."

Happy disagreed. He saw Tink as the mother figure in Indiana's life, Martha- maybe a more grandmotherly figure at best, but usually he just saw her as someone who was paid to watch over Indiana. Tink, as far as he knew, just did it.

"Hap," Quinn greeted as he came over. Indiana kept a good grip on her father's hand, she sniffled a bit and her eyes, still too big for her face- but Happy had mostly come to terms with the fact that it seemed they'd always seem out of proportion- were glistening with unshed tears. The girl was dressed in a dark dress with lots and lots of ruffles, lime green tights and combat boots. She kept aging but her fashion sense had thus far stayed the same.

"Quinn," Happy gave a slight nod of his head. "Sorry about Martha."

Quinn nodded grimly. "Thanks."

Indiana sniffled a bit and looked up at Happy. "You staying?" She'd asked the last time he'd been at Sanctuary too.

"No. I have to get back to Charming."

"Why?" the tears finally fell from her eyes. "Why do you have to leave?"

"Indiana," Quinn scolded quietly.

The girl pouted and sniffled trying to put an end to her tears. "Marcus went away and we had to put him in the ground." Marcus, Happy knew, had been killed on a run a few months back, he'd been down from one of the Canadian charters and his body had been shipped back up. "Martha went away and we had to put her in the ground."

"She went to the stor-" Quinn tried to explain to his fearful daughter, but she just got louder.

"I don't want Happy to go away, Daddy!"

Happy wasn't dense, he had realized that on some level the little girl had- for reasons he couldn't figure out- taken to him. Then again, she was a friendly kid, he hadn't met a man in a kutte she hadn't taken to. "Hey," he said crouching down to her level and her glossy blue eyes turned to him. "You're not going to have to put me in the ground," he rasped. "I'll be fine."

She studied him. "Promise?"

"Yeah, promise," he responded in hopes that she'd stop looking at him with those big, sad blue eyes. She sniffled a bit more and then launched herself at him, her arms around his neck. He patted her apprehensively on the back a few times and she stepped back.

"You going to come and visit soon?"

Happy shrugged. "When I can."


	2. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy takes a trip back to Sanctuary.

Happy was twenty-eight when he finally made good on returning to Sanctuary. After a year of prison and two years of lining his pockets with the mother charter he was ready for a change of pace. He had itchy feet, he wanted to go out and ride, maybe relax for once. He put in his papers to return to being a Nomad for a while.

He knew he would be able to crash in one of the dorm rooms at Sanctuary, which suited him just fine. It was late in the night by the time he pulled into the Sanctuary parking lot, the bar was in full swing. Music was playing loudly, everyone had a drink in their hand. He grabbed his pack off the back of his bike, slung it over his shoulder and made his way through those who were partying outside.

The music was just as loud inside, tables were filled, the bar was lined by those trying to get shots from Tink. The woman was busy, moving with far more grace than he could have expected anyone to in those thin silver heels. Her legs were bare and he noticed a new tattoo along the side of her right calf, vines and flowers, she wore a black dress that was skin tight and sure to get her good tips as it clung to every curve.

Happy tore his eyes away from Tink and looked around hoping to spot Quinn, instead he noticed Indiana among the throngs of people, a tray expertly balanced on one hand, though he was pretty sure she was too young to legally serve- not that anyone who came to Sanctuary would talk to the cops. Shots covered the tray, she took money from someone put a few shots down on their table, took change out of the apron and continued on her way.

She'd done some growing up in the three years he hadn't been around. Her hair had grown longer and was up in a high ponytail, her face had lost a bit of the youthful chubbiness, her eyes were still too big for her face though. She wore bright yellow tights with a green dress that flowed around her knees, combat boots on her feet. She had two sets of earings, the top hole a silver stud, the second dangling coloured shapes, the right side was red circles, the left was blue squares. She was still a fashion train-wreck.

Indiana put the last of the shots on another table, took the money, counted out the change and headed back to the bar, pausing when her eyes found Happy's.

Her eyes lit up and a big smile took over her face as she all but skipped over. "Hey Happy!" She hugged him without warning and then stepped back. "Been a long time! You want a beer?"

"Not right now," he responded over the volume of the music. "Quinn around?"

"Yep, he's over with Cricket and Herb," she pointed to the far corner where the three men were sitting around drinking pints.

"Thanks," he responded and since he had no idea what else, if anything he should say to the girl, he made his way through the crowd.

"Hap! Good to see you brother," Quinn stood and hugged him, welcoming him back and handing him over a Nomad patch. "Better see that sewn on in the morning."

Happy smiled just slightly. "It will be."

He sat down and joined in on the debate over motorcycle parts when Indiana came over with four fresh beers picking up the two empty ones despite none even being ordered. She shot a looked over at Herb and narrowed her eyes. "Drink it."

"I'm gettin' there!"

"Chug, chug, chug," she demanded hitting her fist rhythmically on the table and nearby other people started to taunt as well, she beamed mischievously.

Herbert sighed and chugged the rest of the beer slamming the empty pint glass on the table. "Happy?"

She grinned and turned to Happy. "I think he's talking to you."

"You're a real smart-ass," Herb said shaking his head pulling the new ice cold beer closer.

"Learned from the best," Indiana responded with a big grin. "Anything else you guys need?"

"Na," Cricket responded as Happy started digging for his wallet in his jeans.

"Pretzels," Herb decided. "I need pretzels."

Indiana looked and shook her head covering the bill in Happy's hand. "On the house," she kissed his cheek. "Welcome home, Hap!" She turned away. "I'll bring the pretzels, Herb!" she called over her shoulder.

Home? It seemed odd, and yet... it was the most at home he'd felt in years.


	3. Brooklyn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy meets Quinn's eldest daughter, Brooklyn.

Happy was twenty-nine before he met Brooklyn, Quinn's eldest daughter. She was in her mid-twenties, had a slight New York accent, dressed in a no-nonsense kind of fashion, dark wash skinny jeans, boots- flat heeled, shirt solid deep blue. Happy figured that she must take after her mother because the rich olive skin tone and the dark silky tresses definitely aren't from Quinn's side. You put Brooklyn next to the ten year younger Indiana and no one would ever guess they were siblings.

Sanctuary had been a riot since she's come to visit. Quinn seemed happy that his daughter had taken the initiative to come out to Red Willow and spend some time with him. The Nomads like that there is something prime to look at, although Quinn made it quite clear upon her arrival that if any of the guys made a move, he'd have their hands cut off at the wrists. Happy was just wondering why she was there, why in all the years he'd known Quinn was this the first time Brooklyn had ever been around. Sure, the woman lived on the other side of the country, but still, couldn't she have come a few times during he summer while growing up? Sidney not being able to come made sense, she lived in Australia- little more difficult coming from an entirely different continent, but he figures Brooklyn could have come if she'd wanted - so why now? Money, he figured, he knows she's now a twenty-something and Quinn stopped paying child support on her years ago.

Sanctuary wasn't open for business yet, but there are a few club members around, Cricket, Frankie Diamonds, Go-Go and Dax were playing poker, and he had taken a spot at the bar. He nursed a beer while he contemplated ordering a few new saddle bag for his bike. He didn't really want to spend the money, but his was pretty worn and it kind of looked like it would get a rip any time.

Brooklyn sat down beside him at the bar and gave him a good look over, her perfume a cloud of sensual vanilla and spice. "You know, you're probably the only guy in this place that hasn't put the moves on me." While the 'hands cut off' threat had kept the guys from pushing to far, it hadn't stopped them from shamelessly flirting with her.

"Not my type," he responded, which was close enough to the truth. She looked clingy, the earings dangling from her lobes looked like they cost more than he could typically earn during a few good weeks, and he had a deep seeded suspicion of her that he couldn't explain. He just felt like she was going to stir the pot, maybe it was the way he'd seen her treat Tink earlier, like Tink was some lowly servant when the woman had helped to raise Indiana, kept the bar afloat, kept the boys in line and was there for any of them to talk to when need be. She was as close to a Queen as the Nomad charter had. She deserved respect, not snide remarks.

A smirk came upon her red coloured lips, confidence oozing. "Honey," she said placing her hand on his knee. "I'm everyone's type."

Happy had seen some crow-eaters that thought they were all that, same kind of attitude Brooklyn was currently displaying, the kind of women who wanted the thing they could have, the men who didn't seem interested, a challenge. Those crow-eaters ended up with an attitude adjustment, or out the doors because most of the men wouldn't put up with it. "Move your hand," Happy said and then realized he should have been more specific because she inched it further up. He swatted it away impatiently. "You knew what I meant," his voice low, raspy, angry.

"Touchy," she said, her pretty lips curled as she looked him over, reappraising the situation. He could see the malice in her eyes, he recognized it from the mirror. "You know, I saw Indiana hug you earlier, didn't seem bothered. Maybe you just like little girls."

Brooklyn didn't like being rejected and Happy had never quite been in control of his anger. She should have watched her mouth. His lip curled, his hand wrapped around her throat as he turned to press her against the bar. Her hands quickly covered his trying to rip them away, her nails leaving red lines along the back of his hand.

"Hap!" Tink shouted. "Let her go."

He studied Tink at a distance, she had been cleaning the tables on the other side in preparation for the bar to open in another hour. Now, Tink was standing straight, her hands in fists an stern expression on her face, she didn't tolerate fighting in the bar, especially not against women. He looked back to Brooklyn, her dark eyes wide with fear and he loosened his grip before he leaned in to her ear. "You'd be wise to learn to think before you speak." He let her go and sat back down on his bar stool as she gasped dramatically for breath.

"You okay?" Indiana's voice came from behind and both Brooklyn and Happy turned surprised. Happy wondered just how long she'd been watching, and for some reason there was an inkling of guilt worming it's way under his skin. Not for what he'd done, the bitch had it coming, but that Indiana had witnessed his violence.

Brooklyn shot her a smile filled with false-bravado, her hand still over her neck that would surely bruise. "I'm fine Indie."

Indiana shot her sister a contemptuous look. "I wasn't talking to you," she replied haughtily, her jaw tilted up just slightly as if it could make up for the height difference between herself and her sister.

She stepped up, pair of brown shorts on, a bold printed red, white and blue shirt, knee high brown boots- it helped her look her own age, more than the tights and dresses of her youth. She was growing up, didn't look like she'd hit puberty yet, but she already had to be about 5'4".

"You know nothing about Happy, you know nothing about me and you know nothing about this club." Indiana glared at her sister looking for all the world like the Nomad princess she was. She grew up in a bar that served a bunch of outlaw bikers- her father being one of them- she had the attitude and understanding of the culture came with such and upbringing. "You don't belong here."

Tink had quietly taken her spot behind the bar as if waiting for trouble between Happy and Brooklyn to spark back up again. And now, she seemed even more edgy at the prospect of a battle between the sisters. She watched, ready to interfere.

Brooklyn appeared shell-shocked by the way her sister, ten years her junior, had spoken to her. "Excuse me?" she snapped. "Rane is my father too. I have just as much right to be here as you do."

Indiana responded in a typical youthful way; she rolled her eyes, it was always a grand show with her big eyes and the way she'd always cross her arms and tilt her hips to one side at the same time, usually she added a huff of breath at the end. "Whatever."

"You've got some attitude."

"You're one to talk. Want to know where in your conversation I walked in to?" Indiana's blue eyes appeared hardened, her arms fell to her sides, her hands in fists.

Brooklyn stared down at her little half-sister, she bent down and whispered something in Indiana's ear that Happy couldn't hear but he did see the quick sheen of tears that came over Indiana's eyes but she didn't cry, her lips pressed into an angry line as Brooklyn leaned back standing to her full 5'9" frame.

Quinn walked in from the back room at that moment and immediately recognized the tension, his two girls, the eldest and youngest of his three children facing off, Happy sitting at the bar- Tink behind it, both just watching. "What the hell is going on here?"

"Nothing," Brooklyn responded shooting her father a smile. "Everything's fine."

Quinn stared at his eldest daughter, he hadn't spent much time in her life, couldn't read her the way he could Indiana who he'd raised. He looked to his youngest, recognized the tension in her shoulders, her hands in fists as signs of her anger, but her face showed hurt behind the cracking mask of bravado. "Indie?"

"Fine," she said through clenched teeth.

He shook his head, the girls would have to work their own stuff out. "Got a call boys," Quinn said loudly catching the attention of the men playing poker. "Nomads are needed."

"Where?" Dax asked setting down his cards.

"Salt Lake City," Quinn responded.

"Fuck! Utah?" Go-Go groaned throwing his cards on the table as he stood grabbing his kutte from the back of the chair. "First Cricket takes all my money, now Utah? I fucking hate Utah!"

Quinn looked to his daughters, then to Tink. "Look after them?"

Tink gave one short nod as he came over placed a quick kiss on her lips before drawing away only to have her fist her hands in his kutte and pull him back. Happy turned away from the scene looking back over toward Quinn's daughters. Brooklyn's face was that of stone, and Indiana was watching her father and Tink with a look of amusement.

"Girls behave yourselves. Boys, lets go," Quinn said, his hands leaving Tink.

"By Daddy!" Indiana called. "Have a safe trip guys!"

Tink watched after Quinn a second but grabbed Cricket by the arm effectively stopping all the other men behind him. Her eyes lingered for a second on his Vice President patch before she looked up to his stormy eyes. "Watch him," her voice a sharp order.

"You know I will," Cricket responded giving her a short nod.

Tink's eyes moved to Frankie, Go-Go, Dax and Happy. "All of you. Watch out for one another, come back whole."

Happy kind of liked the way Tink worried over Quinn, the fact that she worried over the entire club, the nomads. It made her something special. "We will," Happy assured.


	4. Question

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Indiana has a question for Happy.

It would take nearly a month to clean up the Salt Lake City business. Happy had never been happier to see a city fall away in his rear-view mirror. They took the I-80 and the drive back to Red Willow took them two days. They could have done it in one, but no one wanted to drive Fourteen hours straight.

Some nomads took off in different directions. Go-Go went to party with the crew from Rouge River in Oregon. Dax had this pretty little thing in Fresno that he decided to go pay a visit after the long road trip. Cricket headed off to Indian Hills, being friends with a man named Jury in the Devil's Tribe- and apparently the Devil's tribe had some very fine women.

The sun was just starting to fall from the sky as Happy followed Quinn's bike into the Sanctuary parking lot. He figured he'd get a beer before things got to busy. The bar wasn't open to customers, Sons didn't really count, they were always welcome.

"Hey, welcome back," Tink greeted from behind the bar. "Where are the others?" Worry wove it's way into her words.

"They're fine, lookin' for pussy."

"Too much info, Dad," Indiana complained. Quinn obviously hadn't seen her sitting at the couch surrounded by homework, he looked both shamefaced and partially amused. She shook her head, her dark blonde hair dipping below her shoulder blades. She walked over to the bar a pair of cut-off jean shorts, the pockets had some green beaded design and a pale pink tank top with a blue butterfly design.

"But everyone is whole?" Tink asked putting two bottles up on the table. Happy wasn't sure how she did it as he picked at the bottle label, but she knew everyone's favourite.

"Everyone's whole," Quinn responded taking a swig of his beer. His eyes went to his daughter. "Where's Brooke?"

"She's still here," Indiana responded irritably . "She went out earlier this morning, don't know where, didn't ask when she'd be back."

"Wait..." Quinn stared at Indiana's shorts. "Aren't those the jeans you just had to have?"

Indiana looked down. "Yeah."

"I bought them two months ago! Why the heck did you cut them?"

"They got too short," Indiana muttered shifting uncomfortably.

"She's growing like a weed," Tink said walking around the bar. "She takes after you."

Tink was right, Happy decided as he studied the girl. He'd been gone with the Nomads for a month and it looked like she'd grown another inch in that time.

Quinn shook his head and looked over at Tink. "Why don't you come over here and greet me properly?"

Tink's green eyes lit up, and a smirk came upon her lips as she approached him real slow. "Why don't you ask real nice?"

Quinn just reached out and grabbed Tink by her black leather, gold studded belt and pulled her in, Tink's laugher filling the room.

Happy didn't want to intrude so he took his beer over to where Indiana was and followed her over to the couch where she had her homework spread out over a coffee table. He flipped textbook to see the front. Science.

"We're working through biology right now," Indiana supplied as she filled in answers on her work sheet. "It's awful."

"How so?" Happy asked sitting back taking a sip of the beer Tink had got out for him. From his peripheral vision, he saw Tink and Quinn heading to the backrooms.

Indiana spotted them too. "Well Hap," she replied before walking across the bar to turn on the sound system. "Because the unit we're on is male and female reproductive systems." She tuned the radio to some classic 80's rock music before returning to her seat. "Like I don't have that all figured out," she rolled her big blue eyes. "Plus, you can just imagine how mature a classroom full of teenagers are when it comes to talking about sperm."

Happy nearly choked on his beer and Indiana just laughed.

She filled in another blank on the worksheet. "So, how was Utah?"

Bloody. "Wasn't bad."

Indiana nodded, her eyes scanning the textbook for the next answer. A companionable silence falling between them as she continued her homework and he relaxed after the long ride back.

"Hey, Hap?"

"Yea?"

"Did... did you know my mom?"

Happy turned to look at her, Indiana usually made eye contact with those she was speaking to, she had an ease about her, a confidence. Now she just stared at the paper in front of her, her pen in hand hovering over the paper, waiting for an answer- but not one for her homework.

"No."

Indiana sighed and set down her pencil before she sat back on the couch putting her feet up on the table, she was wearing some flashy, cheap looking sandals and figured that they were a bi-product just like her cut-off shorts of her quickly changing body. She caught him looking at her feet and wiggled her toes. "My boots don't fit anymore," she explained. "Neither do my sneakers. I'm going to have to start buying size nines."

"Why don't you ask Quinn about your mom?" Happy asked getting her back on topic.

Indiana gave a little shrug and in that moment she looked younger than normal, maybe it was the vulnerability in her slouched posture, the sadness on her face. "Promise you won't mention it to Dad?" He stared at her a minute before nodding and the girl sighed. "Dad doesn't talk about her" she said sadly. "I use to ask questions, but it seems to hurt him too much to give answers... so I just... stopped. No one ever told me how she died... I don't even know where she's buried... or if she was, I mean maybe she was cremated."

Happy stayed quiet for a minute before drinking the last bit of now warm beer. He had little to give the girl. "Your mom had already past by the time I met Quinn... might have even been before I patched SAMTAZ."

"Doesn't matter," Indiana said shaking her head stopping him from saying anything more. "It was just something that Brooklyn said."

"What did she say?" Happy inquired putting the empty bottle on the table, away from her papers.

"She was just being a bitch," Indiana muttered. "Doesn't matter."

Happy raised an eyebrow slightly. "What did she say?" he demanded.

Indiana brought her feet up to the edge of the couch and wrapped her arms around her legs. With her chin resting on her knees, she looked over at him. "That mom... she died trying to abort me illegally," Indiana's eyes welled up with tears. "That my mom didn't want me," her voice cracked and broke under the weight of emotion. "And died trying to rid herself of me."

Happy took in a deep breath and tried to keep from lashing out in anger. It wasn't Indiana's fault, this was Brooklyn twisting the memory of the girl's dead mother, a mother she really knew nothing about. "She died in a car accident when she was pregnant," Happy told her trying to keep a lid on his anger. "The doctors couldn't save her, but they did save you."

A tear fell and she quickly swiped it away with the back of her hand. She let herself fall into Happy's side and let out a sigh. "Thank you."

He put an arm around her shoulders, in the ease of affection. "You're welcome."


	5. Overprotective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Indiana wants to go to the school dance. Her overprotective father, Quinn, is completely against it.

"Dad! Please!"

"I said no, Indiana and that's the end of it!"

Happy could hear Quinn arguing with his daughter from outside of the bar. It was mid-day so the bar was closed to patrons, but it was always open to any Son. Happy pushed in, but his presence didn't deter the current argument.

"Dad!" Indiana whined, her head dropping back dramatically as her hands ran through her dark blonde hair. "Please! This isn't fair!" She stomped a combat clad boot to the hardwood floor. She straightened back out and put her hands on her hips slightly angled to the side, the below the knee length dark brown skirt flowing with the movement, her shirt was bright yellow decorated with jewel toned dragonflies that looked hand drawn. "It's just a school dance, it'll be chaperoned by teachers!"

Quinn was sitting at the bar facing away from his daughter as he read the paper. His kutte was on over a grey t-shirt, with the jeans and boots he looked pretty much like he did every other day. There were resemblances between Quinn and his youngest daughter, if you could get past the initial 'he's a really big, tough, tattooed biker' and 'she's a tiny, innocent, young woman' part. Once you did, you could see the same colour hair, same shape of nose and you could really tell when they both smiled or smirked- the mirrored mischief... but with this argument Quinn looked disinterested and annoyed while his daughter was rolling her big blue eyes that held her impatience and a stern line to her lips at her perceive injustice.

"I said no dating until your eighteen!" Quinn said as he flipped the page and snapped the paper.

"It's not even a date!" Indiana complained her eyes flicking over to Tink, who was standing behind the bar keeping a close eye on the argument as she washed beer steins.

Happy didn't know how Tink managed to work in those pencil thin heels she favoured- today they were black, strappy gladiator styled ones, as usual though she wore all black, her skirt a little shorter than usual, over-shirt was translucent and gave a view of a black bra beneath it.

"It's semi-formal!" Indiana continued lifting herself up onto the barstool next to her father and pushing down the newspaper. "I haven't even been asked, I just want to go with the girls!"

Quinn's eyes turned to his daughter. "I said no!"

"Tink!" Indiana switched directions shooting a plea to her father's... whatever Tink was. Happy couldn't help but think of Tink as Quinn's old lady, they'd been together since Happy had known Quinn and yet she still didn't wear his crow. "Dad's being unreasonable."

"What would you like me to do about it?" Tink asked, dark drawn on eyebrows arching in question, her sharp blue eyes pinning the girl to the spot.

Indiana shifted in her seat. "This isn't fair. Everyone is going! It's just a dance," the heat had run out of her and she clasped her hands between her knees and set her chin down on the bar looking rather pathetic as she stared at Tink. Happy figured the 'pathetic' factor was on purpose. If anyone could change Quinn's mind, it was Tink.

Tink sighed and turned from Indiana to Quinn. "Rane... maybe you should at least consider it."

"No."

"It's a dance, darling," Tink said throwing the dish towel over her shoulder so she could carefully take the paper from Quinn's hand. She folded the paper and set it to the side before she took his hands in hers. "A normal right of passage for teenagers. She's got good grades, is always home before curfew, doesn't smoke, doesn't drink or do drugs, the dance will be chaperoned she just wants to have fun with her friends."

Quinn stared at Tink for a minute before shaking his head. "Still a no. I know what teenage boys are like."

And just like that the fire was back in Indiana. "What are you insinuating! I'm just going to drop my panties for the first boy who asks!"

"Now wait!" Quinn finally turned to his daughter, but she was just beginning her tirade and wasn't going to be letting him get a word in edge wise.

"Is that what you think of me? Think I'm like some god damn crow-eater slut-in-training?"

"Language, Indie," Quinn said wearily.

"It's so not fair! I bet Brooklyn went to all of her school dances! Sidney too!"

"I wasn't there to say no."

"Yeah, god damn father of the year award," Indiana said with a big roll of her eyes and a coldness Happy hadn't thought her capable of. She slid off the stool. "I'll just go fucking stay-"

"Language!"

"- in my room all night. Don't let me have a normal social life or anything. Not like my life hasn't been stunted enough by all your bullshit!"

"Language!" Quinn said once again, the word hardly more than an angry growl.

"Indiana," Tink's voice was soft, soothing as she tried to soothe Indiana's ruffled feathers.

"Forget it!" Indiana responded throwing her hands up, her hands a slight emotional tremor. "I won't go. I hope you're happy!" she stomped past Happy and out the door shutting it with a slam that had the reaper knocker clicking a few times.

The tense silence was cut by Quinn's long exhale. "Was I that unreasonable?"

"Yes," Tink responded immediately. "It's a school dance, Rane." She stared at him for a minute. "Don't you remember what you were like as a teenager?"

Quinn huffed out a breath. "Of course. It's why I don't want her going."

Tink let out a sigh and patted Quinn's hand. "She's growing up, Rane. Eventually, you're going to have to realize she's not so little anymore." Tink hung up the dish towel. "I'll go check on her." She patted Happy's shoulder on her way by and the door shut much quieter behind Tink.

Happy stood there a few seconds before he walked over and took Indiana's vacated seat.

"Fatherhood," Quinn said with a shake of his head. "Brooklyn had it out with me this morning."

Happy stayed silent, he figured he was more of a human soundboard at this point. "She wants money. I won't give it to her. Told her she could keep her place at the hotel and I'd hire her on if she needed work."

"She leave?"

"No," Quinn responded. "But she is refusing to work. Caught Dax pressing up on her earlier. Just about shot him."

Happy shook his head.

"Turns out he's been buying her stuff, keeping her happy. Guess that's why he's been doing so many extra runs, finding work over with the Redwood Originals and Tacoma charters."

"Going to make an old lady out of her?" Happy asked with a bit of a smirk.

"Watch it shit-head," Quinn warned with a cold gaze.

"Could happen."

Quinn considered it for a minute. "Unlikely," he decided ultimately. He was still trying to figure out why she had come. She hadn't asked for money, or at least not much. Only thing she had asked for was a place to stay. She was staying in room 6 at the motel for now.

"She's just a kid."

Happy raised an eyebrow. "She's got to be in her twenties."

"Not Brooke, Indie," Quinn clarified. "She should be playing with dolls and studying not going to dances with boys."

"You let her waitress in a bar filled with perverted bikers and you think a school dance is going to corrupt her?"

"That's different! I'm here, Tink's here, the guys wouldn't try something with Indie- they watch out for her. She's safe here."

Safe. "This about that teacher?"

Quinn's eyes filled with a murderous rage. "Schools aren't safe territory."

Happy decided he could understand the overprotective Quinn's point of view, however flawed. He also understood Tink's rationale, Indiana wouldn't be a little girl for long. Indiana could only see the injustice in the entire situation. "Does she remember?"

Quinn shrugged. "Never asked. Don't want to incase she forgot."

Happy nodded, made sense. "You can't keep her under lock and key."

"Wanna bet?"

Happy rolled his dark eyes and then shut them realizing he'd just instinctively mimicked Indiana's reaction.

::

"Mind if I join you?" Tink asked Indiana when she found the girl sitting on a large rock out in the wooded area behind the bar.

Indiana shrugged and gestured to a nearby tree stump. "Suit yourself."

Tink had left her shoes at the tree line, it had been hard enough getting to that point in stilettos. She carefully chose her next steps to avoid the majority of pointy stones and pine needles and sat down on the stump.

The next few minutes passed in silence only broken by the sound of the wind rattling the leaves, and bird songs.

"Is he mad at me?" Indiana asked softly.

Tink sat a little straighter. "Mad?"

"I was mean, wasn't I?" Indiana reflected. "Said some awful shit."

"We all say things we don't mean from time to time," Tink responded kindly. "And mind your language," she tacked on as an afterthought.

"Yeah okay, mom."

It had been said with sarcasm, but Tink still smiled. Tink didn't have any children of her own, but she couldn't help but think of Indiana as her own.

"You should apologise to your father though."

"Yeah I will."

::

Shamefaced, Indiana walked in to Sanctuary. She was still pretty sure that her father was being unreasonable, but Tink had made her see things in a slightly different light- and at the very least, she had to be responsible for what she said. Couldn't make her father see her as responsible if she was flying off the handle and throwing insults when being denied her own way. It made her think she was no better than Brooklyn, who seemed to be a master at manipulating people to get her own way.

Happy and her father were sitting at the bar, Tink was behind it and gave Indiana an encouraging smile.

Indiana took in a deep breath before she poked her father's ink covered arm. "Dad?"

Quinn turned to his daughter, and frowned at the slight sheen of unshed tears in her big blue eyes.

"Sorry... about what I said. It wasn't very respectful, and... I'm sorry. It's not a big deal. It's just a dance," she shrugged. "I shouldn't have made such a big deal out of it."

"This dance," Quinn said slowly. "It really is important to you, isn't it?" She kicked the toe of her combat boot lightly into the hardwood and stared at the floor giving a non-committal shrug and mutter something softly and so quickly he hadn't caught the words. "What?"

"I'm on the school spirit committee," she muttered as if ashamed of the fact.

Quinn shook his head. Only he- a president of a Sons of Anarchy charter, owner of a biker bar could end up having a daughter who ends up spreading school spirit.

"I was going to go in early and help set up. Remember all those cardboard stars covered in tinfoil I was doing a while back?"

"Yeah," Quinn responded, made a god damned mess, and she'd enlisted the help of Dax and Happy to do it too.

"They're for the gymnasium walls, going to look cool with all the lights from the DJ booth. Can I at least go in and help set up? I promise I'll be back before the dance starts."

Quinn studied his daughter for a moment and then sighed. "It's semi-formal right?"

"Yeah," Indiana responded tilting her head to the side, confusion written on her face.

"I can't believe I'm saying this... but you can't go wearing that." Indiana's eyes lit up with joy, a big smile on her face infectious to her father who was trying to keep from grinning. "There are ground rules, young lady."

"Yeah, sure, anything," Indiana agreed with haste as she bounced on the balls of her feet with barely contained excitement.

"No drinking, no drugs, no boys."

"I'll be perfectly behaved, I promise dad!"

"What time is the dance over?"

"Eleven."

"I'll pick you up then."

"Really?" Indiana asked with a smirk. "You're going to drive a cage? Because I'm not riding on the back of the bike wearing a dress."

Quinn sighed. "Yeah, I'll drive the cage."

"That all the rules?"

Quinn couldn't think of anymore so he nodded.

Indiana beamed and hugged her father tightly and kissed him soundly on the cheek. "Thank you daddy! I love you." She drew away and looked at Tink. "Tink, can you help me pick out a dress?"

"Yeah, sure." She grabbed the keys to her classic black car. "Come on." Tink winked at Quinn before she followed an excited Indiana out of the bar.

Happy could still see the worry etched into Quinn. "She'll be fine."

"Yeah," Quinn agreed feeling the separation anxiety. He didn't feel it with his other girls, just Indiana, the one he'd actually stepped up to the plate for. Maybe that was why he'd let Brooklyn get away with so much since she'd come- he hadn't been there for her then and wanted a chance to make up for it now.

The moment just further solidified Happy's 'no children' stance. He wasn't exactly in the lifestyle that really promoted a normal childhood, besides he just had no paternal desire. He liked other peoples kids well enough, he liked JT's and Piney's kids, Jax and Opie, although they could no longer really be called children. He liked Indiana, felt protective of her, though it was in no way paternal- she was just... a breath of fresh air from all the awful shit and blood spilt, she steadied him, balanced him.

Quinn had plenty to think on, every word spoken from his daughter had the same weight as a club decision on his back. He patted Happy's shoulder as he stood. "I have to go make sure that Tink and I are on the same page on wardrobe."

Happy snorted and shook his head. He wondered what Quinn would do when the girl really did have an interest in boys. It would be interesting to say the least.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy and Indiana say goodbye when he leaves for Tacoma.

Happy was thirty, at this age he had a tally of six happy faces tattooed on his ribs and had finally gone through with shaving off his dark hair. He was content as a nomad, but Tacoma had called. They needed him, things were getting bloody. The Nomads were still getting in proxy votes, but Happy knew it was simply a formality. SAMTAC needed him, then that's where he'd patch.

"Hey," Indiana stood in the open doorway of the dorm room he'd been staying in. She was growing like a weed, she mostly wore shorts or skirts because every time she'd buy new pants a few weeks later she'd be complaining that they were becoming floods. Looked like she was taking after her father in the height department. "You packing?"

He stared at her a moment and then just gestured to his pack and bedroll like it was obvious.

She nodded, two bobs of her head and then she strode across the room in a pair of slate grey shorts, just longer than her fingers hanging at the side, sheer purple tights underneath. She wore big jewel tone bracelets on her right wrist and a sparkly baby blue shirt that kind of matched her eyes. Her dark blonde hair was pulled up into a pony tail that swayed side to side as she walked. She stepped up onto the bed and then sat down cross legged beside his pack, her fingers playing absentmindedly with the straps.

"So," she said softly. "You're patching SAMTAC?"

"Yeah," he replied folding one of his shirts neatly and adding it to the pack.

Two more sullen bobs of her head, a pout on her pink glossy lips. She'd recently started wearing make-up. Her lashes were emphasised by mascara, but that was about as much as she bothered with.

"I heard... I heard some of the guys talking the other night." She stared at him as he folded another shirt meticulously and added it to the pack. "They said that in Tacoma, the streets are running red. I'm not stupid, Hap, it's getting bloody over there. It's getting dangerous."

He stared at her, he wasn't exactly sure what she wanted him to say to that. It was getting bloody, that's why they called in for nomad help. He figured he'd be better use if he was just there full time for a while. He had strong bonds with the Tacoma charter, after all it was where he had prospected, he felt a sense of duty to return and help them with this... clusterfuck of a problem.

"So?"

"So... so... be careful, okay?"

He looked over at her, her head was slightly bowed but she was still looking up at him from under her darkened lashes. Her sad eyes weighted on him. If something were to happen to him the brothers would get angry, his aunt and his mother would grieve... but it was the fact that Indiana cared, that she would be hurt if something was to happen to him that weighted on him the most.

"Yeah," he finally responded gruffly.

Again, another two bobs of her head topped off with a sigh. She sat there, still and silent- two things that he'd ever seen her for such a length of time. When he'd packed everything and taken an extra look around to make sure nothing was forgotten he grabbed his knife and clipped it to his belt.

She watched as him grabbed his gun and tucked it into the back of his pants covering the weapon with his shirt. Her lips pressed into a thin line of worry and sadness.

Happy stared at Indiana still sitting on the bed, her blue eyes had turned away from him and was staring at her thumb that was worrying circles on her tights. "Well... bye." He grabbed his bag and pulled it up on his shoulder. He got halfway to the door before Indiana grabbed hold of his wrist and gave it a firm pull, he turned and she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

"Stay safe, okay Hap?" Indiana requested her voice threatening to break.

Gently he wrapped one arm around her. "You worry too much," he responded.

She looked up at Happy to give him a withering look- or what he suspected was what she was going for, the glossiness of her eyes kind of ruined the effect.

"I'll be fine," he insisted adjusting the bag over his shoulder before walking out.

She walked back over to the bed and sat down at the edge and fought to keep composure. She blinked back tears for a few minutes, could hear the commotion from the main room as goodbyes were said. She waited until she heard the rumble of a bike and listened to it until it faded away.


	7. Missed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy is surprised when he goes to Sanctuary and Indiana isn't there.

Happy would be approaching his thirty-first birthday before he returned to Sanctuary. He was still SAMTAC, and while things weren't perfect in Tacoma, the situation was a hell of a lot better than it had been some eight months earlier.

The months away had been bloody and he had three new smiley face tattoos in that time. He wouldn't be staying in Red Willow for any longer than the night, he was on a long gun run with other bikers from the Tacoma charter and was grateful that he wouldn't be sleeping under the stars on his bedroll. He knew the winding streets of Red Willow better than most of the other guys so he took the lead of the pack as they entered it's limits.

It was out of the main section of town, tucked away in a semi circle of forest area that stood tall and proud behind the bar/motel. The sun had already set, the Sanctuary sign was on in white lights though a few of the bulbs in the 't' were out. He backed into a space, kicked the stand down and killed the engine.

He sat there on his bike a moment as he took off his helmet and surveyed the parking lot. There were more bikes lining the other half of the lot, it was typically where the nomads parked, he counted six bikes. The lot had a few cars, low end, old cars that were typical of the residents of Red Willow, a working class community.

He dismounted the Dyna and grabbed his bag of guns that would be put into look-down in the 'church' within Sanctuary for the night.

Inside, the music was loud, but not so loud that people at the same table couldn't have a conversation. The stools at the bar were all taken and Tink was serving with a sense of ease despite how busy the little establishment was. To his surprise Brooklyn came up to the bar with four empty glasses and her lithe body moved around Tink's as if they were both use to this little dance. The glasses were dumped in the sink and Brooklyn filled four clean ones for a new round before carefully lifting her tray and walking back around Tink who was lining up ten shot glasses with speed and then filled the line with some gold tequila.

"Happy!" Quinn greeted, his booming voice wasn't something that could be ignored even with how loud the music was. "Good to see you." There was a quick moment of greetings between Quinn and the other members of the Tacoma charter before the nomad president lead them to church where they dumped the bags and back out of the room they went, Quinn locking the door behind him.

The guys disbursed, some went to talk to other brother's they hadn't seen in a while. Happy had already picked out a few of the nomads; Dax was drinking with a couple of guys that weren't wearing cuts, if Happy were to venture a guess- potential prospects. Cricket was walking toward the dorm hall with a crow-eater on his arm. Go-Go was on the couch, necking with some young blonde woman with large tits and a small shirt.

"You lookin' to prospect," Happy asked Quinn over the music as he nodded his head toward where Dax was sitting.

"Well... thinkin' about it. Nomad ranks have dropped a bit lately."

Happy understood why, he hadn't been the only one to 'temporarily' patch SAMTAC. A few looked like they'd be making the switch permanent, and a few had died in the middle of this particular shit-storm.

"Besides," Quinn continued. "Wouldn't mind someone around to do some bitch work."

Happy laughed and shook his head. Terrorizing prospects was a not only a tradition, it was fun. Every member of the Sons of Anarchy loved it when their charter had a prospect around, the prospect was first draft for shit jobs- which got full patch members off the hook.

"Who are they?"

"Couple of hang-arounds. MacAlister Smith and Angus Burke, I've had Dax look into them over the past little while, they might be a good fit around here. We'll see. Dax is still feeling them out."

"And you have Brooklyn working?" Happy couldn't cover the surprise in his voice, Brooklyn didn't seem the type to work.

"Dax broke it off with her a few months after you left. I refused to keep paying out money, told her she needed to work... and she likes it." Quinn shook his head. "Go figure that one." He raised his arm and made a hand gestured which Tink returned a nod. Happy followed as Quinn approached the bar and the locals that had been taking up space on the stools left.

Happy took a seat and Tink put his preferred beer in front of him, a smile on her cherry red lips. "How's it going, Hap?"

"Good," he responded shortly before taking a swig of the beer. He liked Tink well enough, she was... something to Quinn, she didn't wear his crow but went home with him every night. Happy wondered why she didn't have his ink, but figured it was a question best left unasked. The woman was friendly, high-spirited but she had a tough side.

"Hey!" Tink yelled and she was off stomping in her pencil thin heels that she'd always preferred.

Quinn and Happy both turned in the direction Tink was going to see Brooklyn putting her finger in some guys face and yelling but the words got muddled by distance and the music. The drunken man pressed into her personal space and Tink grabbed the man's arm pointing to the door. Happy didn't realize Quinn had left the barstool until he was beside Tink, an intimidating posture. The man quickly backed down and left the bar.

"I had that under control," Brooklyn was saying as she followed her father and Tink back over to the bar.

"Doesn't matter how under control you may have had it," Tink responded. "No one gets away with that kind of shit in my bar without having to deal with me."

"Who's bar?" Quinn asked raising an eyebrow.

Tink leaned on the bar across from him and smiled wickedly. "You'd be lost without me, Rane."

Quinn just smirked but didn't reply. Happy figured Quinn's silence stemmed from the fact that Tink's statement seemed entirely true.

"Where's Indie?" Happy asked.

"She's at the house doing her homework, some big class project. I don't let her work on school nights," Quinn replied.

Happy nodded surprised by the slight disappointment of missing her.

::

The next morning, Happy had his Dyna all packed up and was peeling off into the late morning light. The Tacoma boys were all in various states of post-inebriation which had made getting an early start impossible.

As he drove past the limits of Red Willow he couldn't shake the feeling of disappointment. He'd just assumed when he'd been going to Sanctuary that he's see Indiana. He suspected she'd be even taller, still a fashion train-wreck and twisted up with all the seemingly endless bouncy energy and light she had about herself. He felt out of balance and disliked the feeling. He got this same kind of feeling when he went and spent a bit of time with his mom or his aunt, he missed them when he left and now he was missing Indiana.

With a frown he knew what he needed to do to get it out of his mind, keep his head on the road while he drove, he'd finish the run, he'd return to Tacoma- there would likely be a party, some pretty little crow-eaters- get some pussy, and in the morning it would be back to fixing this shit- it would be bloody but that suited Happy just fine, in fact, right now he preferred it.


	8. Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy's thirty first birthday.

Happy had just had his thirty first birthday, and the Sons knew how to celebrate! He figured he'd have a hangover for three days straight after all the alcohol he consumed. He'd woken in a bed with two women neither had any clothes on, both tall, lean, blondes and very much the type he'd always gravitated to.

The one on his left was a new crow-eater that had started to hang around the Tacoma charter, he couldn't recall her name- maybe he hadn't even asked it.

The one to his left had her head in the pillow but from the intricate ink on her thigh he knew it was Heather, she was a crow-eater that had been around for a while and had always kept her distance from him. Fear. He'd recognized it in her eyes the first time they'd ever crossed paths.

He climbed over Heather on his way to the bathroom in the dorm room, neither woman stirred.

Unfortunately half the alcoholic content of the night before decided to make an encore appearance. His head was pounding and he blamed his brothers for practically pouring alcohol down his throat. He brushed his teeth, showered and emerged from the bathroom in nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist, both women were still there.

He stared in agitation for a second before he walked around the bed to the closet where his clothing was hung with a kind of ruthless organization. White grey and then black shirts, the few pairs of jeans he owned were also hung with care along with his kutte, his boots were on the floor just inside the closet. He quickly dressed, put his keys in his pocket and pulled on his boots, he gave the women one more look of ire before leaving the room. He stumbled a bit in the hallway the alcohol still wreaking havoc with his head.

The Tacoma clubhouse was perhaps the most unique. It was set up in a wooded area off the beaten path. The road was paved along with a large lot that on one end had a small basketball court for the guys to use to blow off some steam.

The clubhouse was really a large cabin- it looked like more of a safe house than anything. Happy figured that the room they used for church had once been the dining room. There was a spacious kitchen that always had a stocked fridge and the counter was lined with alcohol. The hallway lead to 'dorm rooms' mostly they were bedrooms and out of five only two of them had adjoining bathrooms- this usually lead to fights in the morning.

He spotted people passed out all around. The sofas had two to four people piled on, he spotted that Tacoma VP in a chair, snoring loudly a curvy red haired woman draped over his lap sleeping on his shoulder, a woman that most certainly was not his old-lady. Happy shook his head and decided it wasn't his business.

He was pleased to see one of the prospects was up and moving around the kitchen, mostly because he could smell the coffee brewing. The prospects name was Mark and Happy had decided that Mark kind of looked a bit like Opie... if Opie actually bothered to get a haircut and got hit in the face with a frying pan. "Good morning, I made coffee," Mark said.

Happy grunted in return before grabbing a mug and filling it to the brim with coffee.

"Oh," Mark said turning as the toaster popped. "There was some chick here for you earlier. Said to tell you to meet her Sunnyside when you got up."

Happy took his first sip of coffee and then stared Mark down. Since the meet was at Sunnyside he had a pretty good idea of who it was, but still he had to ask. "Who?"

Mark shrugged. "I never saw her before. Hot though; tall, long blonde hair, really big blue eyes." Happy nodded since it appeared that his guess was correct. "Nice set of perky tits." There was a quick moment where Happy nearly splashed the hot coffee in Mark's face, he restrained himself- just barely. "Doesn't look legal... but you know what they say, if there is grass on the field, play ball."

Screaming came next. It wasn't a conscious decision to splash the scalding liquid into the prospect's face, it was just a knee-jerk reaction. Members came into the kitchen with their guns drawn in various states of dress and consciousness.

"What the fuck?" The Tacoma VP looked from the prospect to Happy.

Happy ignored the question as he walked past the members and right out of the clubhouse.

::

Sunnyside was a little breakfast nook in Tacoma. Every time Quinn had to do a run through Tacoma, Indiana asked him to stop there because while they made fantastic breakfast they stayed afloat by being a bakery as well and made these little pecan tarts that she was enamoured with.

He parked his motorcycle by the front of the building and dismounted, hanging his helmet off the handlebar. He spotted Tink's black Escalade parked a little crookedly a few spots down. With a shake of his head he walked into Sunnyside. The young woman behind the counter gave him a nervous glance and then returned to work.

He spotted Indiana in front of the big glass protected shelf that held all the bakery treats. She was slightly bent at the waist, her hands clasped together behind her back. Her flaxen hair was braided from her right temple and fell over to her left shoulder. And Christ- if Mark's words weren't echoing in his head, nice set of perky tits. Jesus. When the hell did that happen?

And what the heck was she wearing? A bright pink athletic bra/shirt and skin tight yoga pant, a pair of sensible blue runners on her feet.

He walked up to her and she finally turned. It took a split second for recognition and the smile was on her face. "Hap!" She practically jumped into his arms and since he wasn't expecting such a welcome he nearly fell back. She laughed and let him go. "I missed you!"

"What the hell are you wearing?" was the first thing out of his mouth, his brain just couldn't process it- he blamed the still lingering alcohol in his system.

"Told Dad I was going hiking with a few friends as part of the nature club at school," she responded with a little shrug. "So I wore my gym stuff."

"Nature club?" He raised an eyebrow.

She blushed a bit. "Shut up, it gets me out of calculus once a week."

"And you lied because Quinn would kill you if he knew you were making a day trip to Tacoma?"

Suddenly she looked so panicked that he nearly looked over his shoulder. "You aren't going to tell him, are you?"

"I should," Happy responded and she smirked taking this as confirmation that he against better judgement, he wouldn't.

"Um... Miss?" Indiana turned to the teenage boy behind the counter. "Your order is ready."

"Great, um, can you add on some of those pecan tarts... oh and some of those lemon ones too... and maybe a few of the strawberries in tuxedos, so cute and delicious."

The boy smiled. "Yeah, sure."

A few minutes later she was carrying little white bakery boxes over to a table and pushed one to the side and pointed to the chair. "Sit."

He narrowed his eyes at her, but it had absolutely no effect on her high spirits. He sat down and she tapped the box that she'd put on it's own. "Open it."

And so he did. Inside was a red velvet cupcake with cream cheese icing and black icing making a happy face.

"I was going to get you a cake but then I figured you wouldn't be able to eat it all while we're here... and how would it survive on your bike?" She gave a little shrug and then sat down across from him. "Happy belated birthday, Hap!"

He smiled picking up the cupcake, breakfast of champions.

She opened the box with the strawberries in tuxedos first. White chocolate dipped again artfully in dark chocolate and three little dabs down the middle of the still showing white. "So... how's Tacoma treating you?"

"Fine," he responded gesturing to the waiter and calling for coffee. "How's school?"

"Brutal," she responded and then sighed happily as she took her first bite and savoured. "Having Calculus and Physics as well as my AP English in the same semester is cruel."

Happy waited till the waiter put down his coffee before he returned his gaze to Indiana. "How are things at Sanctuary?"

Indiana gave a little shrug. "With finals coming up Dad's been giving my weekend shifts to Brooke so I have time to study. I pop in now and then to visit. Cricket laid down his bike a few weeks ago, broke his hand but it's healing fine. Herbert got divorced for the third time..." she stared off. "Or is it the fourth?"

Happy grinned, the only person who might be worse than Herbert with the wives was Bobby Elvis. "Did Quinn decide to take on the prospects?"

"Mac and Angus? Yeah," she laughed as she opened the box with a lemon tart. "I occasionally just go to Sanctuary to torment them. It's pretty much a highlight right now."

"You think they'll make it to patch?"

Indiana chewed on the tart as she gave he question some consideration. "Yeah, I do. Dax sponsored MacAlister, and Dad of all people sponsored Angus."

Happy just about choked on the last bite of his cupcake. He took a mouthful of the coffee to wash it down. "Quinn... sponsored a prospect?"

"Yeah, that was basically everyone's reaction," Indiana responded with frown.

Happy didn't understand her sudden mood swing. "Hey. What is it?"

"Huh," she tilted her head. "What's what?"

"You frowned."

She smirked. "You know, unlike you, I don't have the emotional range of a toaster."

He glared. "Why are you upset that Quinn is sponsoring the prospect?"

"I'm not."

"Bullshit."

"Okay, I'm just... I think dad wished he had, had a boy. Three girls, no one that's going to be able to pick up the kutte, you know..." she shrugged. "It's stupid. I guess with Brooke being around and now this new prospect that he's whipping into shape..."

"You're jealous."

"What?" She sounded indignant. "No."

"You're a daddy's girl and he's paying more attention to that bitch of a sister of yours and a prospect."

Indiana pouted and shoved the last bite of the tart to save herself from having to answer. "You're way more perceptive than people give you credit for," she muttered and he gave her a grin for her troubles.

Her bulky pink flip phone went off and she took it off the little clip on her yoga pants. "Aw crap... it's Dad... you think he knows?" Happy shrugged his shoulders unhelpfully. She let out a breath before answering in her typical bright and cherry manner. "Hey Daddy!" He watched as she chewed on her lip while she listened to whatever was lost on him. "We're doing a report on all the different Oak trees." It was the way her face fell that informed Happy that Rane Quinn did indeed know that his daughter was not where she said she was going to be.

"What do you mean you had Mac follow me?" Her eyebrows drew down and her mouth formed and angry line. "He must have followed the wrong Escalade. Black ones are totally common," she said. "What do you mean you have Tink's lo-jacked?" She groaned. "But Dad!... Dad... that isn't... that isn't fair!"

She tapped her fingers on the table and looked when the door opened her eyes narrowing dangerously at Mac. 'You're a dead man,' she mouthed.

"But...no... no, I mean... dad, come on, be reasonable... no Tink didn't know where I was going when I asked to borrow her car... Tacoma isn't even that bad, I only saw one Mayan..." she groaned and rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Okay... I said yes!... I love you, goodbye," she said forcefully right before she hung up. She sat there silently for a minute before her eyes settled on Happy and she let out a sigh. "I have to go."

"I figured."

Mac walked over, his strawberry blonde hair a mess of waves and curls, his green eyes apologetic. "Sorry, kid."

"Kid?" Indiana shot him a look of pure ire. "You're what, two, three years older than I am? Who are you calling kid?"

Mac sighed. "Come on, I have to get you back to Sanctuary safely."

"Go wait outside."

"Indiana..."

Indiana stood, a look of pure defiance on her face, her hands on her hips. "You need me to go with you of my own accord. I can kick up a fuss, you sure as heck can't take me kicking and screaming. I can make your life a living hell, Prospect." And if the look on her face at that moment was any indication- she'd do it. "I said wait outside."

She and Mac stared at each other, locked in an intense battle of wills, Indiana still having to look up since Mac was still taller than her. The battle was broken when Mac looked over at Happy. "Who's he?"

Happy wasn't wearing his kutte, too dangerous to ride through Tacoma with it alone, besides when he'd been getting dressed his brain had been more focussed on coffee and leaving the clubhouse hadn't been on the agenda.

"He's Happy."

"Doesn't look like it," Mac muttered.

"His name," Indiana responded with a roll of her eyes. "He's a nomad... well... actually he's SAMTAC now." She seemed to understand why he was asking the question. "I'm perfectly safe, now for the love of pecan tarts go wait outside!"

Mac didn't seem to like it but he let out a sigh. "Fine, just... be quick, I'd rather your dad didn't skin me alive." Indiana gave a quick nod and Mac walked back out of Sunnyside.

She stood there a second and looked over at Happy. "So... I have to go home now."

Happy nodded as he stood. "Thanks for the cupcake."

Indiana smiled. "You're welcome."

This time she didn't launch herself, but simply stepped up and wrapped her arms around his neck. He wasn't sure when she got so tall but he hardly had to bend to reciprocate. She kissed his cheek and stepped back. "Come home soon, Hap. Nomads miss you."

He gave a little smirk as she walked away and out the door. Through the front window he could see her making exaggerated hand motions, displaying her dismay at the entire situation to Mac who just seemed to be taking the abuse from the nomad princess as they walked down the sidewalk and out of his view.


	9. Brawl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy comes to Sanctuary to find it mess after a brawl from the night before.

Happy was in the area of Red Willow a few weeks after his thirty first birthday and figured he should stop in... make sure Quinn hadn't killed his baby girl for sneaking out to Tacoma to visit him. He did wonder what had made her make such a brash and dangerous decision. It was true what they said, in Tacoma the streets ran red. Lately it was getting a heck of a lot safer and they were well on their way to making a deal with the Mayans... finally. Still, Indiana was Rane Quinn's daughter and shouldn't have been driving out alone... then again, she hadn't been alone- and that worried him too. Not that she had been tailed, but that she hadn't noticed that she had been, and by a prospect of all things!

His boots crunched over broken glass in the lot and he stopped to stare down at it. He then checked his watch. It was nearly one in the afternoon. He took a moment to take a good look around. There were beer bottles still on the picnic tables. A window was broken on room two on the motel wing.

The overbearing reaper knocker on the door stared into his soul. He pushed open the door with a good deal of agitation. "Hello?" He called out and it seemed to echo in the empty space.

Brooklyn poked her head out from the back room. Her lips pressed into a firm line and he stood a little straighter, his eyes narrowing on Quinn's eldest daughter.

"Happy," she greeted cooly.

"Brooklyn," his voice rasped in return.

They were at something of a stalemate. Neither liked the other, but at the same time didn't want to outright dig into the other for the same reasons.

"You looking for Indie?" She asked, her New York accent still lingering in her anger. Her honey coloured eyes were pretty, but held no allure to him, those eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Or are you looking for my father?"

Happy gave a casual shrug as he took a moment to look around. He shifted his feet and found that the floor was sticky, he didn't spend much time on guessing the substance- some things were better not to know. One of the couch cushions had been slashed, there was stuffing everywhere. Half of a pool cue was embedded into the dart board, the other half of the shattered stick was no where in immediate sight. There was thick shards of glass- the kind from a beer mug- all over the floor. "What the hell happened?" He looked at the bar, there was blood on the corner.

Brooklyn took a few more steps forward, she was dressed much like she always was. Dark skinny jeans, red v-neck sweater that clung to her generous curves, she wore knee high black boots, silver studs glinted in the light. She flicked back some of her dark tresses with impatience. "I don't know. I was working last night, most of the guys are out on a run," Brooklyn took a few more steps forward and he could see a wild look in her eyes. "Tink is out sick- flu bug that's been going around so, it was just Indiana and I... Cricket was in, but he broke his hand recently..." Brooklyn crossed her arms over her chest, and it wasn't to push up her chest as he'd seen her do when around Dax, it was a defensive gesture as her eyes scanned around the bar with worry. "Dad's going to kill me."

"You had a party?"

"No!" Brooklyn shot him a look of heated anger, she then sighed. "Take a seat," she gestured to the bar and walked behind it. She grabbed a beer popped the top and set it in front of him. He looked at it and then looked at her. "I'm not Tink, I haven't everyone's order in my head. Just drink it."

"Is Indiana okay?"

Brooklyn did a little head swoosh to the left and bit down on her bottom lip. "Yeah, more or less."

"What happened," Happy ground out.

Brooklyn pushed the beer a little closer to Happy. "Indiana called them something when they came in... what was it... shit," Brooklyn rubbed her temples. "I don't know, they had Nazi signs tattooed on their bodies..."

"Nords," Happy supplied.

She snapped her fingers. "Yeah, Indie called them Nords. Told them they weren't welcome. She's quite the little firecracker when she gets mad, isn't she?"

Happy couldn't say. He'd never witnessed and angry Indiana- apart from that one time she got angry with Brooklyn, but that had been so short lived, and with her father- it wasn't true down in your soul anger, both times that had been teenage chip-in-your-shoulder shit.

"Anyways... they started outside before we even knew. I had the guy who was staying in the motel room come in, freak out about the broken window, but I kind of had my hands full with the... what did you call them? Nords?" Happy gave a nod, and she nodded back. "Well the one Nord went and broke one of the pool cues over some poor guys back, jammed the half he still had into the dart board... and then everything kind of went to hell in a handbasket. Cricket bashed a guys head with his cast, the guy who backhanded Indiana."

Happy's grip on the beer bottle tightened, his knuckles white.

"One of them got fresh with me, I slammed his head into the bar..." she looked to the blood stain.

"That was you?" he couldn't keep the surprise from his voice.

She smirked. "I use to bartend in New York, I can handle myself." She pushed her hair back. "I brought out the shotgun under the bar, and Cricket pulled out his gun and I thought things were going to get bad... but the usual customers all were packing and on our side. The Nords left, but... I haven't been able to get everything cleaned up. Cricket might have messed up his hand again so Indiana drove him to the clinic to get checked out..."

"What clinic?"

"Not going to help me clean, huh?"

"Not a chance."

She shut her eyes for a second and let out a sigh. "It's a new clinic. Opened on Rose street. You know where that is?"

"Yeah," he stood and pushed the beer aside. "That tastes like piss."

Brooklyn rolled her eyes and he walked out.

::

"Hap!" Indiana walked over, she had a rather nervous stance despite the excitement in her voice. Her hand was clasped over her opposite arm that hung down. She was dressed in black leather pants, combat boots and a flowing, sheer light pink dress top that was ripped slightly around the collar, her white tank top keeping her covered though. Her right cheek bone was bruised a deep purple and her hair hung down like she was trying to keep it covered. "Hey... you must have talked to Brooke... um... Cricket's okay. Doc said he should be more careful but it doesn't look like he caused any lasting dama-"

"You okay?" He asked cutting her off as he took a step closer. He half expected her to flinch when he reached out like his hand had a mind of it's own. She pouted a bit but she didn't move as he pushed her long blonde hair behind her ear so he could get a better look at the damage dealt.

She gave a little nod her skin soft under his fingertips. "Yeah, I'm okay," she chewed on her bottom lip. "What are you doing down from Tacoma?"

"When's Quinn and the other guys getting back?" he asked, completely ignoring her question.

Indiana gave a little shrug. "Three more days I think," she replied. "Maybe four, Dax was unsure about this new stretch of highway."

"The prospects didn't stay with you?"

She shook her head. "With their VP down and a lot of the guys still helping out in Tacoma, they needed all the guys they could get."

Happy didn't like it, but he understood putting the club first. They all did it, it just seemed so strange to him that Quinn would leave his girls unattended. He figured it was about time to patch in with the Nomads again. He'd go back to Tacoma, get things squared away, get the vote in...

"Hey shithead," Cricket said coming out of the doctors office. Coming from Cricket the term 'shithead' was affectionate. "You missed one hell of a fight."

Happy smiled little and shook his head. "The bar is a fucking wreck."

"Yeah, better get the young miss back so she can clean it."

Indiana glared at Cricket. "You just wait, next time I'm leaving you to writhe in pain." She looked over to Happy. "You talked to Brooke, so... how's the bar looking?"

"Probably like how you left it," Happy responded.

Indiana shut her eyes took in a deep breath, held it and then slowly let it out. "Where the hell are the prospects when you need them?"


	10. Redwood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy is in Charming. Chibs is drunk. Jax comes in with a potential prospect, JC.

Happy Lowman might be patching Nomad, but at the moment the Redwood Originals needed him more. They had someone who needed to die... like a lot. He stuck around Red Willow until Quinn and the majority of other Nomads returned, kept an eye on the girls- the still sickly Tink took it with a amused smile on her face, Brooklyn with annoyance.

And Indiana... she ran hot and cold during those days. One second she'd be friendly with him, joking around and telling stories as she'd always done. The next she'd turn away when he looked over at her, or start giving him attitude for no reason he could find, the croweater that had been on his lap had given her quite the dirty look.

He'd taken the four hour drive from Red Willow to Charming as a nice respite. Brooklyn had made a bitchy remark at Indiana in question to it being 'that time of the month.' She'd gotten the one finger salute from her little half-sister in return. Maybe when he returned things would be back to normal. She'd hugged him when he'd left, as she typically did all the Nomads and wished him a safe trip... but it was done with out her usual enthusiasm and with a greater deal of concern upon her face.

His personal thoughts were put on the back burner as he pulled into the Teller-Morrow lot, parked and turned off his bike. The sky was already dark, the coals were lit over by the clubhouse. A few of the guys were outside, but neither Kyle or Opie were who he'd come to see.

Pushing open the door he looked around the clubhouse. There wasn't too much going on. Tig was shooting a round of pool with Bobby. Chibs was deep into the bottle, his eyes gazed as he stared for a moment at Happy as if it was taking a very long time for his brain to process what his eyes were seeing... and Happy understood. There was one day a year where Chibs crawled into the bottle and refused to get out for a good twenty four hours... and then they all were wary of the after effects, bursts of moodiness from the Scot- for days after. Happy knew he was suppose to go straight to Clay, but he figured his brother needed someone so he went and sat beside the man at the bar.

"How old is she?" Happy noticed the fact that Chibs's grip on the bottle tightened.

"Eight." The reply might have been short but the pull the Scot took from the bottle wasn't. Happy was glad it was a one word response, Chibs's accent got heavier when he drank that mixed with a drunken slur, he was basically impossible to understand.

Happy knew the routine; Chibs called his daughter first thing in the morning and during that time on the phone he was the happiest man on Earth; attentive, supportive and loving. When it was time to get off the phone a cloud came over him; moody, bitter and dangerous. He picked up the bottle right after the phone was disconnected and didn't put the bottle down until it was empty and he needed another.

It was difficult to watch such a steady brother have such a weakness, a vulnerability.

If he could help Chibs, he would. The fact of the matter though... was there was nothing that could be done- at least nothing short of flying over to Ireland and murdering Jimmy O'Phelen... but he figured when it was Jimmy's time it would be Chibs's kill to take.

The door slammed open, immediately catching Happy's attention. Jax walked in with a cocky grin and a busted lip, his arm was thrown over some scrawny kid with wide dark eyes that quickly went all over the room unable to stay alert on any one detail for a second.

"What the hell, Jax?" Tig asked shaking his head giving the two a good look over.

The young man Jax had brought in looked to be in the same age group as the blonde biker. A head of dark hair, cut short. He seemed to be drowning in the black hoodie he had on, the jeans were baggy, shoes were scuffed up and appeared to have a bit of blood on the toe. Happy's eyes went to the kids hands, busted knuckles.

He then assessed Jax, who appeared rather chipper, a big easy-going kind of smile on his face, his grey-blue eyes lit up with excitement. His rings shined on his fingers, tipped with blood. Grey mechanic's work shirt and jeans- apparently he'd been on tow-truck duty.

"What are you doing bringing some nobody into the fucking clubhouse, man?" Tig growled as he walked over, his boots eating ground with his long stride, his posture set on intimidating.

The kid looked ready to book it the hell out, his fingers curled and uncurled before curling again. One foot shifted back, dark eyes wearily assessing as if trying to make the decision as to listening to his flight or fight response.

"Some fucking Mayan's put in a call for a tow," Jax said taking a step forward and putting a hand up to stop the SAMCRO Sargent at Arms. "Four of them jumped me," Jax said sounding rather pissed off.

"Shit," Tig sounded about as sympathetic as he got.

"Yeah, shit." Jax fished out a cigarette from the carton in his work shirt, put one between his lips and offered one to the new kid. The dark eyes shifted from Tig to the cigarettes and then quickly back to Tig, accompanied by the slightest of head shakes. Jax took a minute to light his cigarette and blew out the first breath of smoke. "And then this guy," Jax pointed the cherry end of the cancer stick at his new found friend. "This guy," he once again threw an arm of comradery over the new guy giving him a slight shake, "comes out of no where with a wrench to help even the score. You should have saw it Tiggy, he's solid in a fight." Happy smiled, Jax sounded absolutely exhilarated as he recanted the story of how the Mayan's attacked him and how this new guy had evened out the odds well enough that they could get back to the truck.

"So you brought him here."

"Well I wasn't going to leave him with the four pissed off Mayans," Jax responded walking over to the bar.

Tig smiled at the new kid and jolted forward a bit, the kid took a very quick four steps back, his fists coming up as his feet planted. Tig assessed the new guy, gave a nod and returned to his game with Bobby.

"Hey, Hap," Jax greeted jovially.

Happy gave Jax a nod in greeting. John Teller's kid had a patch of his own and was shaping up to be a lot like a mix of his old man and Clay. Good head on his shoulders but had your back in a fight too.

"Hey! JC, you want a beer?" Jax asked and JC shot a dark look at Tig's back before he tentatively approached the bar.

Happy noticed something right then. Chibs was grinning. "Juicy?" He asked with a lewd jump of his eyebrows.

"What?" JC finally spoke. "No, no, J and a C, like... they're my initials. Not a word."

Chibs wasn't listening though, he was laughing too hard. For some reason this kid had not only saved Jax from some Mayans, but had managed to do what none of the SAMCRO members had been able to do ever- get Chibs to smile or laugh on Kerrianne's birthday... this kid had done both. Chibs shook his head. "Juicy," he repeated with another chuckle before he took another pull off the bottle.

JC stared at the drunken man with a sudden concern and placed his hand lightly on Chibs's shoulder, the other on the bottle slowly lowering it. "I think that's about enough," he said so calmly, softly.

Both Jax and Happy tensed waiting for the anger, the rage to bubble up in Chibs as it always did when someone tried to get him to stop. Chibs assessed JC, watching the younger man carefully as the bottle clinked against the wood of the bar. At this point even Bobby and Tig were watching- Bobby with a degree of weariness, Tig with anticipation of a blood-bath.

Whatever it was that Chibs saw in the new guy had him softening around the edges. "Aye, perhaps." JC looked relieved and there was this goofy boyish grin on his face. Chibs stood and nearly fell over, probably would have if both Happy and Juice hadn't caught him, Juice pushing and Happy pulling the man back by the kutte. He gave Happy a pat on the shoulder. "I gotta piss," he declared and tried stumbling on his own. Juice took pity quickly and followed, continually stabilising the drunk.

"Huh," was all Happy could find to say.

"Yeah," was Jax's reply as they both stared at the hallway. "Got talking to Juic...dammit Chibs," he muttered under his breath as he nearly called JC, Juicy. "I was talkin' to JC on the ride back, he's from Queens, owns a bike and knows enough to keep it running, and do you wanna know the best part?" Happy just stared figuring he didn't have to answer, Jax would just continue on his own momentum. "Computer skills."

Happy's eyes wandered looking for Clay, he was here for a reason after all... and then everything Jax said clicked in his brain. He looked back at the young man and stared a second. "You want to sponsor him."

"I think he'd be a good fit," Jax replied. "Can handle his own, and more in a fight" he ticked off a finger. "Owns a bike, can fix the bike," he ticked off two more. "Can handle a drunk Chibs," another finger and a grin. "That's a talent no one else has, and the pièce de résistance; computer prowess."

"And you are fucking serious..." Happy said surprised.

"Yeah," Jax replied as if it should be the most obvious thing ever. He stubbed out the cigarette in the closest ashtray. "You think he could patch?"

Happy gave the question some consideration. The Redwood Originals were in desperate need of an intelligence officer. When it came down to it they had to rely on the intelligence of other charters. If this JC character was as good as Jax seemed to think than he could fit a nice little niche. "Depends on if he could survive his prospect year," Happy said with a grin.

Jax laughed, he was a recent patch himself, he and Opie going through their prospect shit together, but both had family within SAMCRO so it was easier on them, they knew what to expect and they already knew and had bonds with the other brothers.

Chibs was ambling back unsteadily, JC trailing behind, when Clay came out of the church room. The president's eyes went directly to Happy who stood. "What the shit, Hap? I told you to see me when you got h-" Clay stared at the new guy who stared back like a deer caught in headlights. "What the fuck? He some Nomad prospect?"

"Na, he's going to be ours," Jax said with a cocky attitude.

Clay looked at his step-son. "I'll deal with you and... whoever the hell he is later."

"He's Juicy," Chibs slurred loudly and laughed.

Clay was staring as if he'd just entered the Twilight Zone. The president shook his head. "Hap, get in here, we got to talk."

Happy nodded, and followed the sounds Jax talking to JC, Chibs incoherently muttering or laughing were drown out when the doors closed and the two men got down to business.


	11. Dazed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Indiana is left dazed and uncertain after a case of good news, bad news.

It took him only a few days to finish up things in Charming. He rode into Red Willow, his fresh smiley face tattoo covered to prevent irritation but it still stung a little. Frankie Diamonds was working on a show bike out in the lot and gave a wave when Happy parked. He admired the bike for a moment before he continued on his way with his bag, it had been a while since he'd been able to get any sleep and was looking forward to a few hours before getting caught up in club business.

The bar wasn't open yet, but the door was always unlocked for the nomads so he let himself in. Indiana was mopping the floors dressed in a pair of distressed jeans and an oversized NOMAD labelled shirt. From the way she swam in it, he figured it was her fathers. Her hair was up in a ponytail and she looked rather miserable.

"Hey," he said gaining her attention.

She forced a smile. "Hey," she leaned the mop against the bar and closed the space between them giving him a hug. "Welcome home, want a beer?"

He shook his head. "Shouldn't Brooklyn be helping you clean this place?" He looked around, apparently their had been a hell of a party the night before if the state of the place was any indication.

Indiana scoffed. "I work better when she isn't around anyways."

Happy studied the usually sunny girl and stared perplexed. "What's wrong?"

She took a big inhale and so began the word vomit. "Something is going on. Dad was away for a while with the guys and then when he came back things were all weird. The lawyer, what's-his-face was here and that is never good, and Dad's been talking to Tink real low so I wouldn't hear and every time I try to eavesdrop one of the guys catch me or call to me, giving me away. Brooklyn's been skirting her shifts and I keep getting stuck with it all because Dad doesn't even notice and Tink's mysteriously been missing most days and-"

Happy put up a hand trying to get her to stop but she either ignored the gesture or misunderstood it to mean, 'oh do go on.'

"There is always one of the guys around, it's been constant 'babysit Indiana' duty, which... I guess isn't so bad," she tilted her hips slightly as she leaned on the mop handle. "I mean, I love all the guys... but I don't want to be watched over, you know, I'm old enough to watch my own back," she said with the invincible attitude of a teenager. "I carry a gun."

"Woah!" Happy put up both hands and she this time paused in her tirade. "What? A gun? Does your dad know?"

Indiana raised an eyebrow. "Who do you think gave it to me? I keep it in a lock box unless I'm going out somewhere where Dad asks if I have my piece. I mean, he's made me carry around pepper-spray since I was ten," she shrugged as if carrying a gun around was perfectly normal for a girl her age, and he supposed with the kind of connection she had to the club it was better to be safe than sorry. "Anyways, point is... something is going down and it's serious enough to get the lawyer guy in..." she chewed on her bottom lip for a second and stared at a stubborn spot on the floor before she attacked it with the mop and then tried to scuff it off with her zip up combat boots making a face when neither tactic brought any luck. She turned and looked over at Happy. "So... do you know what's going on?"

Happy shook his head, but whenever the club brought in their lawyers things usually went south, prison time was usually a factor.

The door opened and Indiana leaned slightly to look past Happy a smile came upon her face and she leaned the mop against the wall. He turned and she walked past him and hugged Mac tightly, kissing him on the cheek leaving a faint pink print behind. "Hey prospect," her voice was teasing and happy.

"Hey," Mac responded a little gruffly as he looked past her and at Happy.

Happy hadn't realized but his fingernails were biting into his palms at the blatant display of affection and he couldn't figure out why. Indiana was open, friendly and all about affectionate displays, she hugged everyone, left behind little lip prints on cheeks wherever she went, it was practically a signature.

She spoke quietly to the prospect, the words lost on Happy. Mac gave a little shrug, his stormy grey eyes wandering away from her, looking around the clubhouse, pausing a moment on Happy before they returned to Indiana. He then shook his head and Indiana gave an agitated cross of her arms and a slight tilt of her hips. Happy knew her long enough to know that in this pose she was ready to verbally rip into someone or give them a stare down (the first she happened to be incredibly good at, the second not so much.)

Mac shook his head. "I've got to talk to Quinn. Where is he?"

Indiana had a cool set to her posture and gave the slightest of shrugs. "Haven't seen him."

"Indiana."

There was the most subtle of changes in her, her spine a little straighter, her shoulders squared away the slightest lift of her chin. "Don't take that tone with me, prospect. I said that I don't know where my dad is so if you really need to talk to him, go find him." She turned on her heel and stomped her boots back to the mop.

The prospect let out a sigh. "Indie..."

"Don't," she responded. "Go find my dad, and when you do, tell him I was asking about him, tell him to call me back."

"He isn't answering your calls?" Mac asked. Indiana gave a pout and shook her head. "That isn't like him."

Happy pulled out his phone and decided to put the issue to rest. He waited as his pre-paid kept ringing.

"Hap?"

"Where are you?"

"Long story Hap," Quinn responded, static grating on the words. "You back in Red Willow?"

"Yeah, your youngest and the fruity looking prospect are asking about you."

"Shit. Tell Mac to head up to the warehouse, follow him. I'll fill you in."

"And Indiana?"

There was a long moment of silence, the ambient noise on the phone line the only reason why Happy knew Quinn was still there. He then picked up on conversation, Quinn's deep voice, and then something feminine, soft... Tink. "Tink... I don't think it's a... she's just...no... okay... I said okay. Hap? Bring her with you."

Happy disconnected. "Prospect, lead the way to the warehouse," he looked over at Indiana. "You're with me."

Her eyebrows raised slightly and her mouth parted as she wet her lips. "'Kay."

The three of them walked out into the parking lot. "Frankie! Watch Sanctuary!" Indiana called. "And if you drink the top shelf Scotch again I'm going to tell everyone about the thing you don't want anyone to know about."

Frankie perked up where he was sitting working on his bike. "What thing?"

Indiana levelled a look with her cerulean eyes. "You really want me to say it in front of Hap and the prospect?"

Frankie remained quiet and Indiana hurriedly fell into stride with Happy. "So," Happy had to ask. "What is you have on Frankie?"

Indiana giggled. "Nothing, but he doesn't know that."

Happy shook his head and got on his bike passing her his helmet since he didn't carry a spare. She held the helmet in her hand and fiddled with the straps. "Hey, Hap... can I tell you something, and can you promise not to laugh?"

He stared at her with a spark of impatience. He wasn't one to laugh easily, and he wished she would just hurry up. Something was definitely going on with Quinn, and if he wanted Happy at the warehouse that's where he was headed, no detours. "What?" he finally asked when she didn't speak up.

"I'm... I've never..." she gave a gesture to the motorcycle as a whole as Mac's bike started up.

He stared uncomprehendingly. "You've never ridden bitch?" he asked over the rumble of the prospects bike.

She shook her head. "Never been on a motorcycle at all. Tink drives a cage, Dad too if he's taking me somewhere... no, never ridden bitch."

It started as a smile, he couldn't help it, and the laughter followed soon after. It was absurd! The daughter of a MC president had never ridden on a motorcycle.

Indiana sighed dramatically. "I thought you said you wouldn't laugh."

He shook his head as his laughter died out. "I never said that." She rolled her big eyes. "Put the brain-bucket on." She made a disgusted face at the name but put the helmet on snapping the clasp. He reached up to pull the strap a little tighter adjusting it to her size.

"You two coming or what?" Mac asked, his voice little more than an angry growl.

Happy flipped the prospect off, and made a mental note to put the kid in his place later. He looked over at Indiana. "Get on."

She put her one hand on his shoulder, the other on the bike for balance as she got one leg over. She settled sitting behind him, her hands tentatively resting on his ribs. He grabbed her hands in his and pulled them so her front was pressed against his back and pressed her hands to his chest. "Hold on proper, you fall on the road and your dad'll skin me."

She was quiet, no snappy come-back, silence. He looked over and found her eyes big and patient, her lips turning into just the slightest of smiles. "Got it," she said finally.

He stared a moment longer, puzzled by her before he turned back and started the bike, her fingernails dug into his kutte he waited until the initial shock wore off her nails releasing but she still held tightly, he shifted, her hand a little lower since it had been over the new tattoo. He motioned to the prospect who took off and Happy tailed close behind.

::

Happy parked beside the prospect. He took off his sunglasses and shoved them into the front pocket of his kutte. He looked down, Indiana's hands still held tightly. His hands covered hers and gently pulled, she released him. He figured maybe the ride scared her, wouldn't be the first woman to be scared of doing ninety on the open road. He looked over his shoulder, her eyes were a little glossy, but he figured it was from the wind. Her hair was still in a ponytail but the ends were all bunched and knotted. Slowly, a timid smile came on her face and then it blossomed. "That was awesome."

Unable to help it, he grinned back. "Off the bike."

She was quick to get off, her knees a little shaky and she held his shoulder for a few extra seconds while her other hand fiddled with the release on the helmet. "Hows my hair?" She asked hanging it on the handles.

"Blonde," he responded, and received a dry look in response.

Cricket was waiting for them outside and Indiana gave him a hurried hug. "What the heck is going on Cricket?"

Cricket gave a grin and scratched at his greying beard. "Kid, you'd have to see it to believe it." He then turned to the prospect. "Shithead, did you get the stuff?"

"Yeah, yeah." Mac held up a box that he'd had in his saddle bag.

"You didn't peek, did you?" Cricket's stare down was said to be better than truth-serum.

"'Course not," Mac insisted. "Just picked 'em up off Go-Go, he said he didn't know what the hell was in it either."

Cricket grinned and took Indiana's hand in his and placed the two inch by two inch box in her hand. "Take this to your Dad."

Indiana gave a stunned, slow nod before pushing open the door of the warehouse, Happy and Mac both following close behind.

There was quite the temperature change, the day was a little chill, but the inside of the warehouse was damn cold. "Dad?" Indiana called as she walked, one hand holding the box, the other fiddling with the end of the oversized NOMAD shirt.

"Back here, Indie," Quinn's voice called and the three of them followed it to the back room.

The three of them stared. Indiana was the first to break the silence. "What the heck?" Inside the room was the lawyer, Quinn, Tink, Dax and Herbert, not that this combination was uncommon, but Tink was wearing a white sun dress... and it kind of looked like Quinn had actually cut his hair a bit, might have even trimmed the beard.

"Dad..."

"Those the rings?" Quinn asked pointing to the box.

Indiana looked at the box in her hands, then to her father, then back to the box before opening it. Sure enough two titanium bands. "You're getting married," she said as if in a daze.

The three of them stood in the doorway as a silence fell over the room. The shock was palpable.

"That's what I said," Dax said to break it.

"I asked why the hell it took 'em so long," Herbert said.

"Might want to hurry this along," their lawyer advised.

"Indiana," Quinn said extending a hand.

"You're getting married!" There was an unexpected edge of anger to her voice.

Tink bit her bottom lip. "If you're uncomfortable with it-" Tink started but was cut off.

"Uncomfortable? I'm in one of my dad's t-shirts. This isn't formal wear. Christ. There is a hole in my jeans. The pictures, you two are going to look all lovey dovey and you look gorgeous as always and I'm going to look like a rat. Have you seen my ponytail. It's a mess. I know it. I can feel it. Happy didn't say it looked fine. He said it looked blonde." She turned her angry eyes his way and Happy frowned. "Blonde! Like I didn't know my hair colour."

"Indiana," Quinn said softly soothing his daughter. "This is kind of a rush job, we'll do pictures after."

"Rush... what's the rush? You guys have been together for as long as I can remember!"

Quinn and Tink shared a look and Tink pointed at Indiana and gave him a stern look. Quinn looked skyward before turning back to his youngest daughter. "Looks like I'm going to be doing a bit of time."

"Time?"

The atmosphere in the room changed instantly and Quinn frowned. "Give me a minute guys." He gave a dismissive wave of his hand and everyone, including the bride to be walked out.

Happy stared at the door before he turned to Herbert. "What the hell happened?"

"Gun run... it went bad. Quinn and Dax were both picked up. We're working on a case... but till then..."

"Yeah," Happy knew the drill. "When is their time on the outside up?"

"Few hours," Herbert responded quietly. "Indie's not of age, they're doing the rush job so she doesn't end up in the damn system."

Happy gave a sharp nod. "Cricket taking over while the pres is inside?"

"Yeah," Herbert responded finding a cigarette and lighting up. "Everything will keep going. Wilson is looking for some legal loopholes. Guy is a fucking shark, if anyone can get them off it's Wilson."

::

The wedding was quick, Cricket had been waiting outside for the pastor. A few words were spoken, some documents signed.

Indiana stood between Mac and Happy an unreadable expression upon her face. Devoid of the happiness Happy had figured the union would bring, no tears of joy, no bright smiles. On the other end of things there was no anger in her eyes over the impending incarceration, no pressed lips. Even though she had her arms crossed it seemed more because she was trying to keep warm than it was because of anger.

Newly married Quinn stepped before his youngest daughter and took her face in his hands. "Everything will be fine," he whispered to her.

She swallowed, nodded just slightly but wouldn't look at him.

Quinn's hands dropped and he looked to the prospect and then to Happy. "Keep eyes on my girls."

"Of course," Mac was quick to respond.

Happy gave a sharp nod of his head.

"I've got to get back to the Sanctuary," Quinn said. "Police will be there soon to pick Dax and I up." He kissed Indiana's temple. "I'll be back soon."

A muscle in her jaw jumped and she gave another quick little nod.

"Dax." The nomad's intelligence officer stood and nodded. "Come on."

"Yeah, yeah, comin' pres." The room became rather quiet after Quinn and Dax left.

Tink approached Indiana rather timidly. "You okay, sweetheart?" The young woman nodded, her eyes looking just over Tink's shoulder, refusing eye contact. "Oh sweetheart," She pulled Indiana down into a hug. Indiana was now a head taller than Tink. "I know you're worried, but your father and Dax are going to be just fine. It's okay."

Indiana pulled back and in a flash had turned and shoved open the door and stormed through it. Mac turned to follow but Tink grabbed his arm. "Not now," she growled defensively at the prospect. She then looked at Happy. "She doesn't want anyone just yet."

Happy had an odd feeling that Tink was trying to say something... without saying it. He stared at her a moment trying to puzzle it out but Tink turned back to Jack Wilson, the lawyer. "What are you looking at, get back to work."

He looked at the door that Indiana had gone through, the warehouse was empty and the far door had been left open in her haste. He had the urge to go find her, check up on her, after all- the nomads all looked out for Quinn's girls- it didn't have to be requested. Tink's warning still played. Not just yet. He'd give her a bit to process... and for now, he'd spend the time eyeing the lawyer and making sure the spindly man did everything to get Quinn and Dax back out.


	12. Distraction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the events of 'Dazed' Happy tries to distract Indiana from her father's impending incarceration.

When Happy came out of the warehouse, he found Indiana sitting on his bike. With a frown he walked over, his boots kicking up the dust that had settled in over the pavement. "What are you doing?"

"Sitting," she responded in a oddly small voice. She didn't look at him. Her fingers traced over the curves of chrome, metal and leather.

Anyone else sitting on his bike, he'd have ripped them right off of it. His jaw clenched tightly and he stared at her. Despite her actual stature, she looked rather tiny on the monster of a bike. More, she looked absolutely lost.

"Are you-"

"Do not ask me if I am okay," the words were forced, her teeth bared and her eyes looked wild when she glared at him. "Dad is going to prison. That is not okay." Her voice threatened to break and he now understood her aversion to speaking earlier, her aversion to eye contact because he could see the tears in her eyes and hear the pain in her voice. She quickly ducked her head again.

"I should go to Sanctuary," she said softly after a long moment of awkward silence. "I need to open the bar."

Tink and Cricket were walking to her cage, Cricket still not able to ride with his broken hand. "I figure Tink has it covered," Happy said and then looked back at Indiana.

The pastor had already left, the prospect and Herbert were talking by the warehouse doors as they locked up and then walked over to their respective bikes. "Don't you worry about a thing, little miss," Herbert said. "Everything'll be fine."

Indiana didn't raise her head, but Happy noticed the jump of the muscle in her jaw, the angry press of her lips.

Mac hovered nearby, he looked at Indiana and then turned to Happy. "You going to watch her?"

The irate Indiana glared over at the Mac. "I don't need a damn sitter!"

"But you do need a ride," Mac said straddling his bike and just looked at her for a few seconds. "You could come with me."

Indiana was stone for a second, she shook her head. "I'll stay here."

Mac turned away from her in a near angry fashion before he started his bike. Herbert followed the prospect out and it left the two of them alone in the large lot in front of the warehouse.

Happy wasn't sure what to do with Indiana like this. She looked up at him and he was pleased to see that there was still no tears. "I should find Brooke. I should open Sanctuary." The midsummer sun was beaming down but there was a chill in the breeze. "I should work. It'd keep me busy," she muttered under her breath.

He stepped closer and pushed her forward a bit as he got on the bike behind her.

"Uh... Hap... driver sits in the front," Indiana stated looking over her shoulder at him. He put the helmet on her head and buckled it, her eyebrows raised in confusion. "Hap?"

He grabbed her hands and put them on the handlebars. "You have your license right?" he asked. If there was anything that could clear his mind, that could make the problems in the world fade away- if only for a little while- it was riding the Harley... well he could think of a few other things, but they weren't anything he'd suggest to Indiana.

"A learners permit!" She screeched in response. "For a car!"

He cringed at the pitch of her voice, but at least she wasn't lost in some fog anymore. He started showing her which bits did what and she was listening intensively, nodding in places, asking for further instruction in others. He started the Dyna up and felt her tighten her grip under his hands, he sure as hell wasn't going to let her crash the thing.

They drove around the lot for a while. She was nervous at first, tentatively speeding up and then hitting the brakes, alternatively nearly putting her feet on the ground when she panicked. She got a little more confident, he could feel her laughter from the way her back was pressed to his chest. She messed up a few times but it wasn't anything he couldn't easily correct.

She tried to stop smoothly but the bike jerked to a tight stop and Happy put his foot down quickly before they both fell. Indiana slowly turned to look over her shoulder, she was biting down on her lower lip, an apology in her guilty eyes and a little shrug to her shoulders. "Oopsy."

He shut his eyes. "Get off," he ordered her.

She chuckled but carefully got off the bike. "That wasn't so bad, now was it?" He shrugged. "For your first time riding bitch."

He glared at her, it hadn't actually occurred to him.

She tipped her head back as she laughed, a happy, joyous sound. A smile lingered on her face as she pat his shoulder. "Don't worry, Hap. Your secret is safe with me."

"You're a pain in the ass," he muttered shifting forward on the motorcycle.

"You love me anyways," she responded with a little smirk before she got on the back of the Dyna. "Hey, you know that bakery down by the gym? Lets go get cheesecake."

"Cheesecake?"

"Yep," she wrapped her arms around him, her chest pressing against his back. "Cherry if they have it."

He didn't have it in his heart to argue with the young woman, not after the day she'd been having. "Alright."

"Alright," she repeated and he felt the helmet against his back. "Thanks Hap," the words nearly drowned out by the start up of the motorcycle, but he heard her.


	13. Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy and a couple other nomads return from a run.

Rane Quinn and Dax Otello had been incarcerated for four months, but their lawyer was finally starting to make some headway in the case. The nomads had been a bit of a mess with the president incarcerated most turned to the VP, Cricket. He kept it together for the first week but being out over a month at that point with his broken hand lead the 'can't ride, can't vote' rule to be put into play. Herbert was the secretary and had kept their shit together for the next two months but nomad business was dipping dangerously toward the red. Cricket took back the reigns recently when his cast finally came off and he was able to ride once again. Still, business wasn't looking great and a few of the guys had gone off and patched elsewhere.

The guys on the run were all on their way back to Sanctuary to meet up with the other half of the guys who'd be coming with the money from the drop. He was glad that the job was over, it had been a quick two-day run anyways, he didn't figure much could happen in that time, besides, the prospects were with them. As much as he enjoyed the long drive and relatively easy money, it left him ill at ease that so many of the nomad charter were away from Sanctuary at the same time.

Quinn had specifically told him to watch out for his girls and Happy didn't skirt around such responsibilities. As much as he wanted to stick close to Sanctuary since he'd given his word to Quinn that he'd watch out for his Tink, Indiana and Brooklyn but he just couldn't, his bank account was taking a hit and he needed the cash to make it to the end of the month and Tink had already given him a pardon on his dues for his room at Sancutary.

It was nearly ten in the morning when they entered Red Willow. The streets were on the narrow side, modest old homes for the most part but a few newer imposing houses were starting to pop up. There were people walking into the local post office. On the sidewalk there was a middle-aged woman holding onto her young son's hands walking slowly as he took tentative steps. They passed the park, it was small, there was a garden that was in full bloom, some graffiti painted tarmac, a large sand pit that had a few swings, a slide and a jungle gym.

The guys all took the turn that lead further to the outskirts of the far side of town where Sanctuary was a few miles down the road. Frankie braked a bit and Happy, who was riding right behind him, hit his in response. The stretch was long, straight and though it was posted at fifty, he knew the guys knew it so well that they habitually rode it at sixty to seventy instead.

Happy noticed the jogger who was making her way down the gravel on the side of the paved road, it explained the slow down. The woman was in skin tight black leggings, white runners, her shirt was white and showed the curves of an hourglass from behind and emphasized her lightly tanned skin. Long blonde hair was up in a ponytail that swayed this way and that with her movements. She was one hell of a gorgeous sight, especially after the long ride and hard few days the guys had just experienced. He hadn't had a piece in a while, and the things he could do to that pretty lithe body...

The jogger turned and Happy just about dropped his bike. Indiana smiled and waved at the guys just before they drove past.

Jesus Christ.


	14. Conversation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Indiana takes a break from work and chats with Happy.

"You need to stop being such a selfish bitch!"

"This isn't any of your business, Indiana."

"When it has to do with members of this club, you can be damn sure that it is my business!"

Indiana's irate voice could be heard from outside. Happy had just gotten back from a short ride and had taken a seat at one of the picnic tables just outside of Sanctuary to enjoy the nice day for a few minutes. His mellow had been disturbed almost immediately by the warring sisters, Indiana and Brooklyn.

"Who I choose to sleep with is no business of yours!"

"It is when you're sleeping with two members of the MC!"

Happy cringed. No matter how this conversation ended, he could foresee drama within the club and between brothers coming up... it would get ugly.

"Dax and I were over for months before he even went to prison!"

"Does he know that? Because you two have been off-again on-again for a long while."

"We're off!" Brooklyn's voice was angry and loud. "We're off for good! I'm not his old lady!"

If they continued after that, they kept it down. Happy enjoyed a few minutes of peace before the door opened and then shut. He turned to see Indiana in a pair of acid washed jeans, combat boots that were tied with lime green laces, a nice light blue blouse with pearl buttons. She was still a fashion wreck and he was glad to see some things stayed the same. Her hair was up in a messy bun and the closer she got he could see that there were thin braids mixed in with her straight hair.

"Hey Hap," she greeted taking a seat on the table beside him, her combat boots tapping out a slow rhythm against the seat.

He gave a little nod in response. He felt a little out of sorts around her ever since the 'jogging incident.' She was Quinn's child, she was under aged... at least... he was pretty sure. He stared at her long and hard, she was young, but he couldn't distinguish her age, her offbeat fashion sense wasn't helping his baseline read either. He'd known her since her childhood, sure, he hadn't been around too much but he'd watched her grow up- it just took him by surprise to now realize that she was actually attractive. Worse, she was exactly the type he'd always gone for, tall, blonde and with that long lithe body. 'Out of sorts' was kind of the mild way to put it.

She raised an eyebrow and to cover his staring he shot a questioning look and a head bob back to Sanctuary.

"You heard that, huh?"

"Hard not to," Happy responded. "You and Brooklyn are loud."

"I'm washing my hands of it... whatever happens, happens."

He nodded. Smart move, he figured. "Who's she with now?"

"You know a while back when we hosted that big SAMTAC party?" He remembered the party... or most of it, and nodded. "Well," Indiana kicked the seat a little. "She slept with one of the guys from SAMTAC."

"She told you that?" he found it a little hard to believe, even Brooklyn had to know it would cause a fight to bring it up with her little sister.

Indiana let out a 'humph,' and shook her head. "Not exactly."

"You just figured it out?"

She shifted a little and appeared uncomfortable. "Not exactly." He raised and eyebrow and she let out an exaggerated sigh. "I was trying to help Go-Go to one of the rooms, he was beyond wasted and had already been sick once. So I tested the first knob, it was locked so I went to the second and it was open but... it was... it was... occupied." The word was accompanied by a look that said she'd choked down some bile. "I want to rake my eyes out but it wouldn't make me un-see it now would it?"

"Tough break."

Indiana physically shuddered. "Not an mental image I ever wanted. Lets talk about something else, anything else."

He couldn't help but grin a little at her obvious discomfort at the embarrassing and uncomfortable situation.

"Have you heard anything about the case?" Indiana asked genuinely curious, not just trying to change the subject. "About when Dad and Dax will be out?"

"Cricket called for church tonight," Happy replied. "He's talking to the lawyer today..."

Indiana let out a sigh. "I miss them both... but I really miss my dad," she admitted softly looking incredibly sad. "Tink misses him terribly." Her hands fidgeted in her lap. "She seems so sad, it hurts to watch."

In the world of bikers, empathy like Indiana's was a rarity.

"We'll know more tonight," Happy insisted. One way or another. He hoped that it was good news. He didn't like that they'd been locked up for as long as they had in Stockton, but at least there were a few other guys in the 'big house crew' from other charters to help keep them safe.

"Yeah."

The door to Sanctuary opened and Tink poked her head out. "Indie? Did you order the scotch?"

"Two cases," Indiana hollered back.

"It didn't come in," Tink responded with a bit of heat and the sound of a bottle smashing could be heard. "Brooklyn! Christ, that's an eighty dollar bottle!" Tink shook her head, short black layers dancing with the movement. "Prospect!" She shouted into the lot looking over to where Angus had been tuning up his bike. "Grab a mop and get your ass in here."

They both watched from across the lot as Angus threw down a wrench the second Tink shut the door. He stomped his way across the lot and into the bar.

Indiana shook her head. "I leave for five minutes," she gave a playful grin. "I should get back. Angus is a giant pain in the ass, drives Tink up the wall."

"He not working out?" Happy asked.

Indiana waved the question away with her hand. "He's a prospect, Tink gives him bitch work and he doesn't much like it. Neither does Mac. They want to be doing stuff for the guys, but both of their sponsors are incarcerated. Their year ended a month or so ago... I think anyways... but everyone has been to busy to even think of the vote, besides, they wouldn't do it with out my dad... and likely they wouldn't do it without both sponsors being at the table for the vote. They're impatient, they want their full rocker, they're sick of getting the grunt work."

She jumped down from the table and started back toward Sanctuary, but paused mid-step and looked back to Happy. "Hey, you going to be sticking around?"

He had been staying as close as possible to Sanctuary since Quinn and Dax went inside. Hell, a lot of the nomads were, there was always someone around to watch over Quinn's girls. Happy had done a few runs and they'd left him with a horrible feeling in his stomach. "Yeah," he replied shortly. He'd be sticking around if he could until Quinn and Dax were released.

She gave him a pretty little smile. "Good. I'll see you later then." Her boots kicked up some dust on the tarmac.


	15. Worry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Nomads get bad news from the prison.

Thanks to the shark of a lawyer, the guys knew that Dax and Quinn would be getting out in a mere two weeks. From the hooting and hollering, Happy couldn't tell who was the most excited.

He could tell from the great big smile on Cricket's face that was pleased by this news, the VP had to step up in a lot of ways while Quinn was incarcerated.

Tink was obviously pleased that her old man... or... whatever the hell Quinn was to Tink was getting out. Happy stared at the dark haired pixie-like woman and not for the first time wondered why the hell Quinn hadn't put his mark on her. The two were married now, legitimate husband and wife... but why wasn't she wearing his crow?

Brooklyn even smiled, it was soft and made her look beautiful. She was a good looking woman, but she was still fucking miserable to be around... but this seemed like a rare glimpse beyond the mask of rage and hatred she usually wore. She caught him staring and her light brown eyes narrowed in a glare.

Herbert was smiling, looking more relaxed than he had in previous months. He and Quinn had been friends before Happy even prospected.

All the other guys were at the bar, toasting to the good news. It was going to be a good night.

Or it should have been.

He spotted Indiana in front of the door that locked but lead to the hallway where dorm-styled rooms laid in wait for any nomad in need of a place to crash. He recalled her reaction to the good news had been tears of joy that had smeared her mascara and purple eyeliner into a mess and she'd gone to clean up. Now she took a few steps forward, slow, shambling like a zombie. Her eyes were shocked flat, wide and worried. In her hand was Tink's phone, distinguishable from other prepaids because of the decorative tiny disco ball charm that hung from it.

No one else seemed to notice, to caught up in the glee of an actual release date to hold onto. He abandoned his barstool and walked across the bar to where she was looking around with near desperation. Since she was in a pair of floral lace tights and shorts, he could see her knees were shaking, threatening to buckle. She tugged on the edge of her too large t-shirt that was tied in a knot at the side, that side showed off an inch or so of bare tanned flesh and he refused to acknowledge it.

He kept his eyes on hers and touched her shoulder gently. "Indiana, you okay?" It was a stupid question, she looked too pale, like she might be sick.

Her blue eyes were beseeching as she looked up at him, frozen for a second before she looked to the floor. A shudder ran through her frame, her shoulders did a little jump and when she looked up at him there tears welling in her eyes. She then shook her head and a shuddering sob quietly escaped her lips.

He stood six three and she didn't have to look up to him very much, he guessed that she stood around five ten, five eleven but when he pulled her into his body she felt small against him, or maybe it was just the lack of her usual spark of life. One of her hands flirted under his kutte, clenched in his plain grey t-shirt. Her forehead was resting against his shoulder and he could feel her breath against his neck.

"What happened?" he whispered, his words immediately followed by a shudder from her.

"The prison called." She whispered softly, as if any louder and the words would break. His blood ran cold. "Dax... he's in the infirmary."

"Indiana?" Both Happy and Indiana jumped a little. Tink stood beside them, a hand on Happy's arm, the other on Indiana's shoulder. The little woman was stealthy. Her eyes widened slightly at the sight of Indiana blinking back tears. Tink turned to Happy and his teeth clenched together so tightly the muscle in his jaw jumped. "What happened?"

At this point there was a quiet that lingered tensely over the guys and Happy felt uncomfortable under the scrutiny.

Happy repeated what Indiana had told him so she wouldn't have to. There was this long pause, where everyone absorbed the news and fell from the heights of their joy into the depths of sadness or anger all the guys, with the exception of the prospects had spent time in the big house. They knew what kinds of things happened there, all the reasons for getting sent to the sick bay.

Tink ran her hand over the back of Indiana's head, stroking her soft hair, her hand lingered on the young woman's neck and Indiana turned to hold onto her step-mother tightly. Tink was small, but she stood as straight and her chin tilted upwards an air of defiance, of superiority. She was currently in a little black dress, lace down the arms, knee high black leather boots and the three inch heel helped make up for some of the height difference between herself and her step-daughter who definitely took after her father in the height department. She looked strong and every bit the part of nomad queen that the guys all saw her as.

She turned to Herbert. "You still have some pull with any of the guards at Stockton?"

"I know a guy," Herbert replied slowly.

"Call him," Tink ordered, her usually soft voice taking on a hard edge. Her eyes then turned to the two prospects. "Either of you know how to hack?"

Dax was the intelligence officer, when he was away on long runs, incarcerated or just off being all nomadic the rest of the nomads were left floundering with trying to call contacts who might know something, anything.

"I know a bit," Mac said surprising everyone in the room. "I mean... Dax has been showing me some stuff." It figured, after all Dax was sponsoring Mac. "I'm not as good as he is, but... I think I can get in."

Tink turned to Cricket who was intensely staring at the prospect who stared back with a glint of determination. "Do it," Cricket ordered.

Happy looked around the room, some of the guys still had a celebratory beer in their hands, but none of them were looking to happy anymore. His eyes lingered on the eldest Quinn daughter remembering how she and Dax had been one of those on-again, off-again relationships for a long while now. Frankly, she looked crushed, there was a panic on her face, a fear, her hands threaded through her long dark waves. Frankie had also taken notice, reached out to touch her arm and received a sharp slap to the face that drew the attention of everyone in the room, it was followed by her quick stomping feet and a slam of the front door, the reaper knocker clicking a few times before it settled.

"What can I do?" Indiana asked Tink in a soft voice, almost begging for some way to be useful.

Tink rubbed the young woman's back in a soothing manner. "Nothing right now, sweetheart. We'll find out what's going on, don't you worry." She looked to Happy and then bobbed her head towards Indiana as she walked over to Cricket and together they walked over to where Mac was dropping down into the chair by the computer they had set up for the till. Mac closed down the bar's tab program got to work.

Happy wanted to do something to keep that lost look from her eyes. He could practically feel the worry radiating off of her. She was chewing on the side of her thumbnail, her eyes a little vacant. "Want to go for a ride?"

She blinked a few times and stared at him but the look was still rather lifeless. "Huh?"

"Ride?"

She slowly shook her head. "I have to be here," she whispered. She tugged down the shirt again but it didn't do too much, it just seemed to be a habit more than anything. She looked over to where Mac was on the computer and then her eyes went over to where Herbert was on a prepaid, pacing. "Someone has to find out what happened to Dax..." her eyes welled with tears again and she walked away as if in a daze, rounded the bar to hover over Mac along with Tink and Cricket.

Happy knew he wasn't going to be useful in this situation, he was more of a 'make things happen' kind of guy than a researcher. He didn't have any contacts to call, no one that could help get them closer to finding out what happened. The heavy air of worry hung over Sanctuary and he walked outside, quietly shutting the door behind himself.

Brooklyn was over to the right side sitting facing outward on the picnic table bench. Her elbows were on her knees, her hands tangled in her hair in a very stressed out fashion. He and Brooklyn had never seen eye to eye, they didn't like one another. He tolerated her because she was Quinn's kid, because she was Indiana's half-sister, he figured that she tolerated him because he was respected by her father, because she didn't want to rock the boat anymore than necessary with her half-sister.

He did promise Quinn that he'd watch out for his girls, and that meant Brooklyn. Shouldering the responsibility he walked over and dropped down beside her.

She brushed back the thick dark curtain of hair and looked over at him. Her light brown eyes seemed a little lighter than normal and were rimmed red, tears were spilling over. She shook her head, her hair falling back down to hide her face. "Bet you love seeing me like this," she said as she wiped her palms on the knees of her dark blue jeans.

"No," he responded honestly. He didn't much like her personally, but she was still Quinn's kid. Plus, he actually hated seeing women cry.

She turned to him, her bottom lip quivering. "What do you... think happened?"

Happy shrugged. "Most likely got shivved in the yard."

Her eyes grew wide and there was a sudden exhale like she'd got punched in the gut, he knew then that it was entirely the wrong thing to say.

"Or... you know, there are all kinds of horrible things that happen in prison..." he trailed off sensing that he was only making things worse.

Her arms were wrapped around herself and she was slightly rocking and it seemed to him that she was use to trying to console herself, that she expected to have to deal with things on her own. She had been stand-offish since she'd come and every time anyone tried to get closer she shut them down. Honestly, watching some of the guys try the first few months had been comical. Dax being the most persistent and getting the furthest with her, they might have been once again in their 'off-again' faze, and maybe it really for good, but he wasn't so dense that he couldn't see the fact that she still cared about Dax on some level. Well, maybe the only person who wiggled in closer was Indiana but Indie just had that way about her, and even then they got into monumental fights, but he figured that was just the way sisters were.

"This is a family," Happy said. "Sanctuary is home."

She looked over at him wiping her tears on the back of her hand.

"You are not alone," his voice deep and raspy as it always was.

Brooklyn studied him closely for a moment, the tears stopping but her nose was still red and her eyes were puffy. She gave a weak, half-hearted smile. "Thanks." It was grateful, but lacked any real hope.

"They called because he's in the infirmary," Happy said. "They'd have had to transport him to the hospital if it was really bad," he insisted. "Dax will be fine." At least he hoped so, he'd known the intelligence officer since he was fresh from his prospect year.

"And dad?" The eldest Quinn daughter asked. "If something happened to-"

"Quinn's still with the Big House Crew. He's got protection on the inside. They keep each other safe."

"But-"

"But nothing. Shit happens, inside, outside, doesn't matter. This life isn't easy."

"Yeah... I'm getting that," she said bitterly. "I just..."

He was quiet, waited but she shook her head and didn't continue.

She turned to him. "I should go in." She rubbed her eyes again but there weren't any more tears to dry. "Maybe they have something," she stood and turned back to look at him. "Thanks," it sounded like it pained her to show gratitude and she quickly walked back towards the front door of Sanctuary.

::

Happy came back into Sanctuary a few minutes later. Tink and Cricket were still hovering over Mac, Brooklyn had taken Indiana's place and the youngest of Quinn's kids was no where in sight.

He walked over to Herbert. "Anything?"

"My guy picked up, but he doesn't know anything. He said he'd call back if he heard anything..."

"You don't trust him," Happy noted.

"I only trust brothers."

Happy nodded, he understood. "You see where Indie went?"

"Went down the hall," Herbert said with a shrug that said he didn't know more.

The first two doors were open and no one was inside. Third was shut and he opened it, someone's bags were on the floor, he shut it again and then it came to him. He walked to the end of the hall and rapped on the last door. It was one Quinn crashed in plenty of nights when he and Tink ran the bar into the wee hours of the morning and didn't want to drive to the other side of Red Willow to the little bungalow they owned.

"Yeah?"

"You okay?"

"Fine."

He huffed out a breath and opened the door, speaking through it was ridiculous. She was sitting on the side of the bed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Mac find anything?"

"Not when I was there."

"Fuck," she cursed loud and angry. Sometimes when she cursed he found it funny, it just sounded so odd from she who was always bright and joyous. Now, it seemed to fit.

He stayed silent, there just wasn't anything that he could think to say that would make this better.

"Tell me they're going to come home, Hap."

He walked over sat on the bed beside her and put a comforting arm around her. "They're coming home, Indie."

She closed her eyes and sharply nodded her head just once. She seemed more resolved when she opened her eyes and turned to him, looked a little older. "Come on, lets see if Mac has anything."

::

Mac was not Dax. It took him a long time, but finally he got the records.

"Are you fucking serious?" Tink asked as everyone gathered around the monitor pushing and shoving to try and see.

"What is it?" Indiana gave a few sharp elbows to get a peek.

"Pulled his fucking shoulder working out in the yard," Cricket said shaking his head. "Fucking dumb shithead."

Brooklyn's laugh was shaky and filled with relief.

After the tension everyone got back into the celebratory mood with shots of hard alcohol and bottles of beer.


	16. Released

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quinn and Dax are released from Prison.

The good news was that after being incarcerated for ten months, Dax and Quinn were finally getting released from prison. The party would be huge, they all knew it. Happy was among some of the Nomads making the trip up to Stockton to pick the guys up. He stocked up on bottles of water and bullets- because you just never know.

He walked out of the dorm room and bumped into Tink sending her slight frame into the wall, he caught her before she fell. "Sorry, you okay?"

She gave a tiny nod, her short hair was pulled into the tiniest pig tails, this close he could see the little pins that kept it together. She blew some of her long jagged bangs from her blue eyes that contrasted and seemed too bright for her dark hair and olive complection. "I'm fine," she replied with a little grin. "Today is a very good day."

"Quinn's getting out, Dax too," he said with a little nod letting her go now that he was sure she was standing just fine on her own.

"What a perfect gift."

Happy raised an eyebrow at Tink's statement.

She tilted her head to the side. "It's Indiana's birthday," she said as if it should be obvious. She smiled widely. "I think this is just what she wished for." Tink continued on her way down the hall, and Happy walked in the opposite direction, toward the bar.

He had no idea that it was Indiana's birthday. He'd managed to miss every one of her birthdays over the years, or at least if he was around during one, she wasn't, or didn't mention it. He found Brooklyn sitting on the lap of her new boyfriend on one of the couches in the lounge area. He was rather surprised to see it was Mark, the Tacoma prospect he'd scalded with coffee. The man had some permanent burns on the right side of his face, his dark eyes settled on Happy and his jaw shifted in an angry set. The man now appeared to be a full patch, but there was no love between the two brothers.

Indiana came in from outside walking backwards through the reaper decorated door, cussing under her breath. Her leggings were a shock of hot pink, combat boots on her feet had orange laces, her shorts were black and her shirt long sleeved, skin tight and a deep green. She was carrying two stacked cases of beer and Happy quickly walked over and took them from her.

She gave him a little grin. "Thanks, Hap."

"Where do you want them?"

"Just set them on the bar, please. I've got to put them away real quick. They're Dad and Dax's favourites. I figured I should stock up. They're getting out today!"

He set them on the bar and turned to see her bouncing in place on the toes of her feet, her energy and excitement practically overflowing. He nodded. "I know."

"Are you going?"

He nodded again.

"Can I come too?" Her hands clasped together as if praying. "Please! Tink is going in the cage with Cricket, I want to come too but the cage is only a four seater and the guys will be riding back with them."

"Who's going to get the bar ready?" Brooklyn asked from her spot on the couch.

"Everything is already done," Indiana said, shooting her sister a dirty look. She turned back to her task at hand. She tore open the first case of beer and started to put them into one of the small fridges under the bar top. "The bar is closed today to anyone who isn't part of the MC. We lock up, put a note on the door." The bottles clinked together as she quickly put the first case away. She folded up the box and slid it into place with more folded up boxes. She opened the next case and got to work at putting it away too. "So Hap? Please?" She stopped putting away the bottles for a second and send him a beseeching look.

He let out a sigh. "Ask Tink, if she agre-"

She was around the bar faster than he would have thought she'd been able. She hugged him tightly. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Ask Tink first."

He had time to watch Indiana roll her big blue eyes before he heard another person enter the room behind him. "Ask me what?" Tink asked as she stepped into the room with one of her eyebrows raised while she tried to put her second gold hoop into her ear.

"Can I come to pick up Dad?" Indiana requested her hands folded before her as if in prayer. "I can ride with Happy."

Tink let out a little sigh. "I'm not so sure, kid." Tink put the back on the hoop and looked around for her purse. "You know your dad doesn't want you riding on motorcycles."

Indiana put her hands on her hips. "Really? I think I'm old enough to make that decision. Besides, it's not like I haven't done it before."

Happy cringed, he really hoped she wasn't about to throw him under the bus.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah."

"With whom?"

Indiana rolled her eyes. "None of your business."

"I'm your step-mother, it absolutely is my business."

"Tink," Indiana let out a little sigh and walked over to her taking both of the woman's hands in her own. "You've been the only mother I've ever known. I love you." Leave it to Indiana to blatantly put her feelings out on the table.

Tink's eyes welled up and her quick blinking was emphasised by her thick line of fake lashes.

"But that rule is bullshit and we both know it," Indiana continued. "I'm the daughter of a MC president." Tink gave a little smirk and Indiana smiled. "The fact that it took me as long as I did to get to ride is ridiculous. I'll be perfectly safe with Hap. Please, Tink. It's my dad. I want to be there."

The older woman let out a long sigh. "Fine."

Indiana hugged the tiny woman tightly. "Thanks... mom." Indiana stepped away and turned quickly. "I just got to grab a few things!" She dashed into the back and was unaware of the tears Tink was shedding, though a smile was still on the woman's face.

::

Happy walked side by side with Indiana over to his Dyna. Herbert and Frankie would be taking the front, then Go-Go and Happy and behind them the two prospects, then Cricket and Tink bringing up the back in the cage.

Frankie had loaned a secondary helmet so Happy was wearing his own and helped Indiana set the spare's straps to her size. "It's going to be a long ride," Happy warned.

"I know," she replied as he mounted the bike and seconds later felt her hand on his shoulder as she settled down behind him. "I'm excited, it'll be fun."

He didn't like the fact that they had to go through some unstable territories. "Did you bring your gun?" Sometimes the best defence was a few bullets.

He felt her take the deep breath, her chest pressed to his back. "Yeah," she finally said.

"Good," he replied starting the motorcycle up. Her arms wrapped around his waist tightly. "You ready?"

"Yeah. I'm ready."

::

They'd made it to the prison without incident. The guys and Indiana got off of the motorcycles and stretched out their legs. Tink and Cricket were leaning against the hood of her cage chatting idly.

Happy watched Indiana, she'd already taken off the helmet and hung it on the handlebars. The sunshine glinted in her hair, she was bouncing on her toes waiting with uncontainable energy. He looked her over and his lips pressed together. Her shirt was too tight as were her little black shorts for him to miss the outline of a gun. She'd lied about having it, he just knew it. It was a little late to do anything about it, besides he wasn't sure what Tink thought of Indiana having a gun. He decided it was best not to bring it up and just this once let the lie slide.

"Might be a while," Happy told her as she started to slowly pace.

"Waited a lot longer over the past few months," Indiana shot back with wide grin.

She seemed to Happy to be completely impossible to disappoint. An ever optimist. "You're a god damn ray of sunshine aren't you?" It was ridiculous, it was her birthday and she was spending it waiting for her father and a club member to get released from prison, she'd spent hours on a motorcycle, the entire day was blown and yet... she was still completely happy-go-lucky. She could be out with her friends at the movies or the mall or... doing whatever it was that teenage girls did... but she wasn't.

She stopped bouncing and seemed a little awkward, she shrugged. "What's wrong with being happy?" She made a thoughtful face and then smirked at him.

"Don't start," he warned. 'Happy' jokes were not funny. Ever.

::

After the first hour of waiting, everyone was getting bitchy. Go-Go had gone for a run to the local market to get something to drink. Tink was pacing, short, quick, angry strides, her hands balling up into fists and releasing. Indiana was bouncing on her toes near Frankie asking him how much longer he thought it would be, Frankie looked mildly annoyed and put a heavy arm over her shoulder- less in a sense of solidarity it seemed more likely that the bouncing was aggravating him.

The sound of a motorcycle had Happy turning, but it was just Go-Go returning, the bike going silent. "Waters in the bag if anyone wants a fresh one."

"Hey did you get candies? I'm hungry," Indiana skipped away from Frankie with the same kind of joyous energy she always had. Today, it seemed to get on everyone's nerves.

"No. I got water."

"Go-Go," it had to be hard to whine such an incredibly stupid nickname but Indiana managed.

He pulled out a bag of gummy bears and threw them at her, she ran forward a few steps to catch them. "Don't say I never do anything for you."

She grinned and ran a few steps over to hug him and kissed him soundly on the cheek leaving behind a faint pink kiss print which he quickly smeared as he tried to wipe it away. "Thanks!" She tore open the bag and peered in and frowned. "Looks like a colourful orgy in there, they all stuck together."

It might have been the heat, it might have been the incredible stretch of boredom, or it might just have genuinely been funny, but everyone laughed.

::

It was nearly another hour before the doors finally opened and Quinn emerged, Dax trailing closely behind him.

"Dad!" Indiana was first to run over and launched herself into her father's open arms, he laughed and hugged her tight.

"Happy birthday, baby girl."

She smiled a little shyly. "Thanks."

"Didn't think I'd remember, did you?"

"You had a lot of shi-stuff going on," she quickly corrected, she'd cursed a bit while her father was on the inside and been able to pretty much get away with it, with him out though she knew she'd have to keep a lid on it.

Quinn shook his head and Indiana went past him to hug Dax.

Quinn pulled Tink to him and she smiled wickedly, he had to bend to kiss her but she turned her head and said something in his ear. Quinn's smile grew and he pulled her in close. "Really, can I get a preview?"

"No."

"Damn."

The greetings were kept short, the guys knew what it was like on the inside and knew that Quinn and Dax were itching to put Stockton into the rearview. Quinn seemed to be doing a tally in his head, how everyone would be getting home. "How did you get here?" Quinn asked putting an arm over his daughter's shoulders.

Indiana chewed on her lower lip.

"You came on a motorcycle," Quinn shut his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Didn't you?"

"Yeah," Indiana admitted quietly but then bounced a little on her toes. "It's a lot of fun, leaves my hair all messy though, but it's kind of worth it... Tink said I could."

Quinn turned to Tink who shrugged. "She wanted to see you, it's her birthday, what did you want me to say?"

"'Stay put.'"

Tink and Indiana both sighed dramatically at the same time. Tink grabbed his arm and gave it a pull. "Come on, lets go home. She's fine, Rane."

"Who did you ride with?" Quinn asked staring down at his daughter.

"Happy," she replied slowly wondering the repercussions of the admission.

Quinn turned to Happy. "If anythi-"

"I know," Happy cut him off. "I'll take care of her."

Quinn nodded, he trusted in his brother- even with such precious cargo. He kissed Indiana on the top of her head. "See you at Sanctuary."

She nodded and everyone got geared up for the long ride home.


	17. Patch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The vote on Mac and Angus becoming full patched members of the Sons of Anarchy.

Proxy votes were common for the Nomad charter, with plenty of the guys out on their own they often had to call in their votes when the Nomads had business- such as patching in their two prospects.

None of the guys had even fully recovered for the drinks and debauchery that had come with the return of Quinn and Dax but they were voting it and would party again for the two prospects becoming full fledged brothers.

Happy sat at the table, there were more Nomads around than there had been in a long while. Quinn sat at the head, Cricket to his left, Harry the nomad SAA who'd recently been released a New York correctional facility was back at the table sitting to the right. Harry was a scary bastard, dead blue-grey eyes that didn't seem to have any light left in them could make a man's blood run cold. His head was shaved, tattoos on his arms and neck disappearing under his black t-shirt, he looked every bit the badass he was. There was a slice over his right eye that hadn't been there before he'd gone inside, and was obviously from a prison fight.

Down the line on the left side of the table sat Herbert, Dax, Go-Go, and Angus at the end. Down the line on the right side sat Happy, Greg the Peg, Frankie, and Douglas- a nomad who hadn't been at the table in a while since he was dealing with a angry ex-wife with a kid caught in the middle. He was a fidgety sort, dark hair neatly cut but managed to be a mess all the time, dark green eyes that never managed to stay in one place for very long, lanky bastard who didn't seem to fit well in his own skin. Beyond him was Mac at the end. Everyone who wasn't there had sent in their proxy votes to either Cricket or Herbert.

"We're here today to vote on our two prospects; Angus Burke, and MacAlister Smith," Quinn said at the head of the table looking to the other end where the two men sat. "We start with Angus." Quinn raised his hand. "Yes."

Quinn's eyes turned to Harry who nodded, he hadn't been around through the prospect year but trusted Quinn's judgement. "Alright."

"Yes," Happy voted quickly.

There was a vote of yes from Greg, then Douglas, Frankie, go-go, Dax, Herbert and finally from Cricket who had the proxy's as well.

Angus beamed through the cheers and table banging.

"Cool it," Quinn called to order with a proud smile that his prospect had made it through. "Now for Mac..." He stared over at the prospect, Mac was unflinching as he waited. "I'm a yes."

Once again the votes went around the table, excitement mounting with each vote of 'yes.'

Cricket sat there silently for a moment letting the man sweat it before cracking a grin. "Welcome to the Sons of Anarchy, you two shitheads!"

::

Happy was sitting on the couch by the pool table, he had a crow-eater in his lap, short choppy brunette locks, a little on the short side, not really his type but she had a fantastic rack so he figured what the hell? Her lips were brushing faint kisses along his neck before there was a graze of teeth that had his hand clenching in the back of her shirt.

The woman jolted upright and turned quickly rubbing the back of her head.

"Oops," Indiana said looking over her shoulder at the woman with a thin, sarcastic smile. She had a pool cue in hand, had been playing with Herbert, and it appeared that she'd knocked the crow-eater in the back of the head with the cue. "Sorry about that."

"Yeah, you look real sorry," the crow-eater... Kayla, if he remembered correctly, said sarcastically.

Indiana turned and leaned back against the table. "Well, if you weren't such a slut you'd take him to a room instead of humping him in public like a cat in heat and you wouldn't have been in my way."

Herbert burst out laughing and Kayla was standing in her five inch gladiator heels in a second and slapped Indiana across the face. Indiana's hand covered the fresh red-mark, her mouth open in an 'o' of surprise. Gone was any sarcastic humour Indiana might have found in needling the crow-eater, in that moment her eyes went cold and it was the first time Happy had ever seen Indiana enraged.

Happy stood but Herbert grabbed his arm before he could move to break it up. "Its about respect, brother," Herbert said and Happy had to give him the point. Much like the men had a hierarchy, so did the women to a lesser extent. Indiana didn't wear a crow, she wasn't a sweetbutt but was at that age where the crow-eaters started to see her as competition. Herbert was right, this was her fight, win or lose.

Indiana didn't fight like a girl, she didn't go for the hair, didn't go to slap the crow-eater back, instead her hand balled into a fist and she knocked Kayla right off her heels. She didn't stop there, absolutely vicious in a fight Indiana straddled the woman and threw a second punch that had a gush of blood coming from the woman's nose, screams caught the attention of anyone who had missed the initial start of the fight.

Indiana didn't need to be pulled off, though both Herbert and Happy made a move to do it. She stood of her own accord and looked down at Kayla who made a move to get up only to have Indiana's combat boot step down on her shoulder. "You should learn some respect," Indiana leaned down putting weight on the shoulder. "Don't fuck with me again, bitch," she said with a quiet anger that surely it was lost on anyone further back. She stepped back at that moment and picked her pool cue back up as she turned to Herbert. "We finishing this game, Herb? I'm winning and I want that fifty."

::

Happy was shambling back drunk to his dorm room at the end of the night, alone which had not been the intention, when he nearly walked into Indiana who had her bag over her shoulder. They stared at each other for a moment, awkwardly unsure of what to say.

Unsurprisingly, Indiana found her voice first. "Sorry about your bed-buddy," she said a little dryly.

"Nice punch," he responded leaning against the wall since he wasn't so sure he could stand straight anymore. "Where did you learn that?"

"My dad, of course," she replied like she was boasting. "Picked up the trash-talk from Tink."

He smiled, that he believed. Tink might be small, but she was mighty and sharp tongued when she wanted to be.

Indiana sighed. "Need a hand getting to bed, or are you going to make it down the hall on your own?"

"I'll be fine."

She nodded and adjusted her backpack. "Alright. G'night."

They walked in opposite directions away from each other.


	18. Mothering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy goes to visit his mother in Bakersfield.

Happy had driven to the end of the San Joaquin Valley and into Bakersfield. He knew his way and went on memory. Not much had changed, he noted when he pulled up to the familiar little white house with the teal shudders and door. He'd grown up in the low-income home that his mother adored. The small garden out front was well tended, pink and purple flowers that he couldn't name sat there happily soaking up to the sun. The deck had been swept of any stray dirt or leaves and he felt guilty realizing that he was leaving a trail of dust from his boots.

He knocked twice out of respect, but out of familiarity he walked in before her heard the inviting call of his mother. He entered into the kitchen and quickly kicked off his boots before she yelled at him for it.

His mother stood there at the stove. Petty woman, his mother; dark hair that even with the silver that now streaked it she didn't look her age. Her eyes were dark like his and when they narrowed, you knew you were in trouble. She stood a head shorter than he did, her blue dress was plain and covered with a white apron. She smiled widely. "Happy," she motioned him closer. "Let me get a good look at you!"

She pulled her glasses from the pocket of the apron and put them on, her eyes seemed magnified and he couldn't help but smile. "Hey, Ma."

Carina Lowman opened her arms and pulled her son in for a strong hug. "You know, it's about damn time you came to see me," she peered at him through narrowed eyes over her glasses and he felt chastised like a little boy.

"Sorry, Ma. I've been busy."

"Hmph," she snorted and shook her head, some of her dark and silver hair slipping from the clip that was holding it back. "Too busy to come and see the woman who brought you into this world?"

His mother was the queen of guilt trips, and they were one-way to Shameville. "Club business." He knew she understood what that meant, but the stern press of her lips said she still didn't like it.

He pulled an envelope filled with about thirty percent of what he'd raked in over the past month and put it into her hand, it was really more than he had to spare. The Nomads hadn't been making much, it got split up into percentages, he had to pay his dues, keep his bike in working order and the gas tank full.

She looked at the envelope and frowned when she looked back up at him. She looked sad and he couldn't understand why. She patted his shoulder and put the money in a drawer for safe keeping. "Set the table, we'll have lunch."

"I have to-" Happy stopped when his mothers dark eyes cut to him and narrowed. She pointed one bony finger to the table. "Alright," he said putting his hands up. "I'll get the bowls."

He knew he needed to be getting back early in order to make a run, but worst case scenario- one of the newly patched brothers would take his place. Happy wanted to be back though, he needed to earn with the way things had been going he was considering making a move to Tacoma again for a while, they had almost more business these days than they had men.

She brought over a pot of homemade soup. He wasn't entirely sure about what kind it was. His mother just put things together and somehow it always tasted great. There was a mix of noodles apparently the odds and ends of nearly empty bags- there were long noodles, thin noodles, elbow curved and twisty ones too, the meat seemed to be from a pot roast and there was some green stuff he couldn't identify. Frankly, he didn't care much about what it was, it was great and it had been a long time since he'd had a home cooked meal.

They ate the first bowl in a comfortable silence but he knew silence didn't last with his mother, and much like Quinn, she wasn't one for one-sided conversations.

"So what are you up to these days?"

He gave a little shrug and kept eating.

"Happy Manuel Lowman."

"Ma, I'm eating."

She took her glasses off and put them back into her apron, leaning forward she narrowed her eyes at him.

He muttered a couple of quick and very quiet curses under his breath. "I've been doing stuff for the club. We patched in a few new members recently."

Reasonably pacified his mother leaned back again and resumed eating. The silence though was short lived. "Is your motorcycle running well."

He nodded but caught the look. "Yes."

"That's good."

"What have you been up to?" He asked and she smiled which in turn made him smile. He loved his mother, hated seeing the clouds above her head and enjoyed seeing her happy as she seemed to be these days.

"Oh I won a small pot at bingo a few weeks ago, and I went to get my hair done at the salon with Carmen-Louise a couple of days ago."

"Looks nice," was his automatic response and he studied her trying to find some change in her hair.

"Nice try," she laughed a bright and joyous sound. "It was just a trim and you didn't notice."

He quickly refilled his bowl and returned to eating, it was safer that way.

"Did you see the garden."

"Yeah," he responded. "Pink and purple," he continued as if to prove the fact that he had actually noticed.

She smiled wistfully. "They're just lovely."

He was just happy that she was.

"So," she poured a bit more soup into her bowl and stirred it while watching him. "You have a lady in your life?"

He choked on a noodle and hit his chest trying to cough it back up. When he was in the clear of choking his dark eyes cut to his mother. "What?"

"Wash your ears out." Whenever she used that phrase he felt like some twelve year old boy being scolded for not doing his chores. "Do you have a lady?"

He almost laughed. It wasn't like most of the women who ended up around Sanctuary could really be called 'ladies' they were easy picking sweetbutts, nothing more. Tink was classy though, he considered her a 'lady' but she wasn't his type, and besides there was no way he'd poach on a Quinn's woman.

"No," he responded finally.

"You're going to be thirty two soon! Thirty two! When I was thirty two I had an eleven year old boy," she reached over and gave his ear an affectionate pull. "Cutest damn kid too, took after me." He smiled at her. "I had a house, a job..." she didn't mention the husband and for that he was glad. "You need to find yourself someone to spend your life with."

He wanted to argue, 'look at how that worked out for you,' his mother had three failed marriages. His father, whom he figured was the one she really had loved considering that there were still pictures and mementoes of Manuel Lowman around the house. He had died in a drive-by shooting when he was four, he hadn't been targeted, simply wrong place- wrong time.

Second one she had married when he was ten, he'd never liked the man but it all came to a head when Steven Porter had taken a hand to his mother when he was sixteen. Rage took place of logic, Happy had only intended on giving the man a beat down, make sure that Steven never considered raising a hand to his mother again... and he did... only in a very permanent sense. Considering his mothers injuries and the fact that he'd never really been in any trouble the police let him off.

The third husband had come into the picture when Happy had been in his prospect year, it seemed borderline stable with Walter McCauley, but it hadn't lasted in three years he'd managed to syphon off nearly all of his mothers savings and then disappeared. Happy had been angry but his mother had insisted on letting it be, letting it go... he hadn't... but be damned if Dax could find the man and if Dax couldn't find him there was no way Happy would.

"Don't give me that look," Carina said waving her spoon at him. "I know I haven't had luck with husband two or three." He couldn't help but grin at the way she wouldn't even allow their names to be spoken in her home. "But I had something real with your father. I was very happy with him, he gave me family, gave me home, gave me you."

"I got you," he said. "You're my family. The club is my brotherhood. Here and Sanctuary are home."

"You live in a bar, or in a clubhouse when you're not Nomad," she said poking his patch. "That is not home, my son. And what about little ones?"

"Ma!"

"I want grand-babies."

"Ma! Stop."

"All my hopes are on you, my only son."

"Ma!"

She laughed and he shook his head.

"I want you to have someone special, Happy. I want you to fall in love, every mother wants that for her children." He got halfway through an eye roll before his mother swatted him in the back of the head which put an end to it. "Don't roll your eyes at me!"

"Sorry, Ma," it was hard to look contrite. He liked some women over the years, but he could never say that he loved them, it would mean giving them too much of himself. Besides, with his lifestyle he just didn't see it happening. Why the hell would he want to shack up with just one woman and have her nagging all the time? When he wanted a piece there was always a sweetbutt. If he wanted a home cooked meal he could always visit his mother. What else was there? He was just fine on his own, he was content with his life.

She shook her head. "You just haven't met her yet."

He shut his eyes and tried to keep calm.

"Your soul mate will change your mind."

His mother was in love with the idea of being in love. It annoyed Happy to no end. "Yeah, sure," he responded in hopes she'd cut it out. "I've got to be getting back. Business."

Sadness swam in her eyes as she stood, he went to grab his plate and she swatted his hand. "I'll clean up. She sniffled a bit and pulled him down into a tight hug. "You be safe, my son. And visit me more often."

"Okay."

"I love you."

"Love you too, Ma," he kissed her on the cheek.

With his boots back on, pulled his gloves on as he stepped out onto the porch. The sun was bright so he found his sunglasses in the front of his kutte and put them over his eyes.

He put on his helmet and took one last look at the little white house with the teal shudders, memorized the pink and purple flowers and waved back to his mother in the kitchen window before he took off.


	19. Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Indiana has a date with a boy at school. Happy isn't quite sure how he feels about that.

Happy was a couple of weeks away from his thirty second birthday. The older he got, the faster time seemed to go. His knuckles were busted open from a recent fight and were in various stages of healing. Business had picked up a bit for the Nomads and it was keeping him afloat although he still occasionally thought about patching elsewhere.

At five in the afternoon Sanctuary was still closed, but there were a couple of cars outside of the motel rooms, Tink's cage was sitting in the lot along side a little bright blue car that he didn't recognize. He had to be at the gun warehouse in a couple of hours but figured he would stop in and grab a beer first, maybe convince Tink to make him some fries to go with it.

When he walked in, the bar was relatively quiet. The radio was playing music quietly. Tink and Indiana's voices registered before he even saw them. He shut the door and walked up to the bar where Tink was sitting on one of the bar stools. Indiana was standing in front of her step-mother doing a slow turn, she was dressed in a boxy green dress that covered her arms and went to just below her knees.

"What do you think, Tink?" Indiana asked looking down at it. Apparently, with her awful fashion sense she didn't see all the things that were glaringly wrong with it.

Happy shook his head. The shade of green was an awful on her, the style of the dress was likely popular about twenty years before she was born. Flat out terrible.

Tink shook her head too. "No. No way," she slid off the bar stool, dropping the extra few inches to the floor, balancing on four inch spikes.

"What's wrong with it?" Indiana asked looking down at it.

"Where the hell did you get this, baby?" Tink walked around Indiana and gave the dress a pull on both sides of her waist, about four inches could be pulled in. "Christ, it's not even close to your size. It's all boxy, it covers absolutely everything."

Indiana looked down at herself. "Dad got it for me."

"Exactly," Tink responded with a twitch of her lips like she wanted to break out and laugh but was holding it in. "Go, pick something else."

Indiana spotted Happy hanging back. "Is it really that bad?" she asked him.

He nodded.

She frowned, turned and headed back to the hallway.

"What was that all about?" Happy asked walking up to the bar and Tink went around behind it and pulled his favourite kind from the tall glass fridge.

"She has a date from a boy at school," Tink responded popping the cap and placing the ice cold beer on the bar. "First week back in class and she's asked out."

Happy wasn't entirely sure how he felt about that. He took a quick swig of the beer. "A date," he repeated.

"Yeah," Tink responded. "She hasn't really shown too much of an interest in boys, more into her studies-much to her father's joy." Tink laughed and grabbed herself a bottle of water and twisted the cap off.

"And now she does?" Happy couldn't believe he was even having this conversation.

Tink shrugged and took a sip of the water. "She doesn't really talk about that kind of stuff with me. Mostly it's either what's going on at Sanctuary, or about her school or after school activities, boys don't really come up," Tink shrugged, her shoulders jingling the long dangling silver earings. "She seems excited though."

"What does Quinn say about that?"

Tink narrowed her blue eyes at him. "He doesn't know, so you just keep quiet."

Happy's eyebrows jumped up a bit. "She didn't tell Quinn? You didn't?"

"No. She told me. She knows how her father would react. She just wants to go out and feel this thing out, see if it's worth the trouble of bringing it up with her father to begin with." Tink took another sip of water before putting the cap on. "As far as her father knows, she's going out with the girls tonight, Brooklyn's taking her shift here." Tink found a marker and wrote a 'T' on the top of the cap before setting it to the side.

Indiana walked back out, her presence announced by the subtle clicking of the kitten heels on her blue suede booties. She was now dressed in a purple jersey dress that just covered her bottom, arms were covered but this one was in her size and clung to her curves, she wore bright orange leggings with it and frankly the colour combination was making Happy queasy.

"How about this?" Indiana asked Tink.

"Absolutely not... well... it could work. Ditch the leggings."

"I can't ditch the leggings!" Indiana protested quickly. "This dress is too short for that."

"Then pick something else."

"This is all I brought in my backpack," Indiana rarely stayed the night at Sanctuary and didn't keep any of her clothing there. "I didn't think it was going to be this difficult!"

Tink walked around the bar and grabbed Indiana's hand. "Come with me." She turned back and pointed at Happy. "If any of the guys come in, tell them I'll be right back."

He nodded in response and watched the small but mighty Tink all but drag Indiana through the door that lead to the back hallway.

Ten minutes later the door opened again and Tink came back into the room looking triumphant, a second later Indiana came in looking uneasy as she nervously rubbed her arm. She was dressed in what Happy was sure he had seen Tink in before, it was considerably shorter on Indiana, black dress with a sweetheart neckline covered in lace that went down her arms and gave peeks of her lightly tanned skin. Her legs were long and bare for the first time that he had seen, her feet were still in the cute little blue booties. Apparently, Tink had speed-braided Indiana's blonde hair over her shoulder and done her makeup since her big blue eyes were outlined in navy eyeliner, her eyelashes painted black, and her lips were coated in light pink lipstick underneath a clear layer of gloss.

"Give a turn," Tink requested leaning over the bar to grab her water bottle before she sat on the stool beside Happy.

Indiana looked uncertain, but turned slowly. Definitely Tink's dress, memorable for the back being lace all the way down to her bottom before the full cloth of the dress covered her.

"Perfect," Tink said. "You're beautiful."

"I feel naked," she muttered her eyes flashing with panic before her fingertips grazed over the hemline as if checking to see if she was still covered.

"Honey, it's fine," Tink assured her.

"What time is it?"

"Nearly five thirty."

"Crap, where's my purse?"

Tink reached over the bar and grabbed it from one of the shelves. "Better get moving, Rane's usually in by quarter to."

"I know, I know," Indiana took her purse checked the contents for her wallet and her phone.

"You carrying?" Tink asked.

"No."

"Do you have pepper spray?"

"No."

"Indie..."

"It's a date, Tink."

"It's a teenage boy."

"You think other girls take mace with them?" Indiana shook her head, a strand of her blonde hair escaping the braid. "No. Then again, most of them have been dating since grade nine." She snapped her bold blue purse shut and pulled it up her shoulder. "I'm not taking mace. I'll be fine. We're going to dinner. We're going to the movies. I'll be back at the here by eleven." Her booties clicked as she walked over and placed a kiss on Tink's cheek, leaving behind a faint pink print. "Love you."

"I love you too. Be safe."

"I will," Indiana at this point sounded exasperated. She patted Happy on the shoulder. "See you around." And then she was gone.

Since there was no one else inside, and it didn't seem like whoever her date was would be picking her up he wondered about the blue car he'd seen in the lot. "That little blue car hers?"

"Yeah, she saved long and hard for it... and then Rane paid. Indie didn't know wether to rant and rave or hug him... so she did both," Tink slid down off the bar and balanced on her long, thin silver heels.

Tink returned to the bar and started getting set up. Happy sat at the bar while he finished off his beer and left right after he had to go to the warehouse. Even riding on his motorcycle couldn't wipe the image of Indiana in that dress from his mind. When the hell had she grown up like that? Then again, he'd checked her out when she'd been jogging- not knowing who it was and surprised to find out. He gave his head a shake and focussed on the road and only the road.

::

Happy had returned to Sanctuary after his few hours at the gun warehouse were done, the guns all ready to be shipped. The bar wasn't too busy, Brooklyn was running it and Tink was no where in sight. The lingering heat of the September day was keeping everyone inside the air conditioned building. He was four beers in and abandoned the bar to go make his way to the mens room. Half way there, he heard voices coming from the back room and he froze in the hallway listening.

"You okay?" Tink's voice, worried.

"Yeah," Indiana's voice, and Happy figured she'd come in through the back door. "I'm fine."

"How was dinner?"

"Okay."

"The movie?"

"Kind of boring, one of those romantic comedies but it wasn't actually funny."

"Did something happen?" Tink sounded more worried than ever.

There was a beat of silence. "No," Indiana responded. "Or, nothing you're worried about anyways. He walked me back to my car after the movie... he kissed me."

"And?"

"And then he said goodnight, told me to drive safe and that he'd call me."

"Sounds... like it went okay."

"Yeah. It did, I guess."

"But?"

Another moment of silence and he could practically see Indiana shuffling her feet or playing with her hair while she figured out what to say, or how to say it. "I don't know," Indiana's voice took on a whining edge. "I guess... I just thought... that it would be different. More special."

"Fireworks?"

"Fireworks! Something, anything!"

"Nothing?"

"Nadda."

"Most people don't find their true love on their first date, Indie."

"I didn't expect to... I guess I just thought it would be different."

"So... I take it you won't be agreeing to date number two."

"No, so... don't tell dad."

"I won't," Tink assured.

Happy told himself that the relief he suddenly felt was because she was back home perfectly fine, she hadn't been manhandled or hurt and denied the fact that the relief stemmed from the fact that she wouldn't be giving this whoever-he-was a call back.


	20. Anger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy has difficulty keeping his anger in check.

Happy was not happy. He was in a right foul mood, as was Quinn, Cricket, Harry, Herbert and Frankie. They had been suppose to deliver guns to a new client and get paid. They brought the guns, but their new client decided they'd rather take the guns and keep the cash.

Bullets had been exchanged before a few of the guys got away in the van- with their guns. Herbert was sporting a bullet in his arm, it was bleeding profusely and Harry was trying to slow it with t-shirts and rags that had been in the back of their delivery truck. Cricket was driving the van, Happy and Quinn rode ahead, both bikes sporting dings and punctures from bullets.

For the most part, the open road had a calming quality. Tonight, it did nothing to ebb the anger Happy felt. Quinn sped up on the straight stretch in Red Willow that lead to Sanctuary. Happy couldn't ride the stretch anymore with out thinking of Indiana jogging down the side of it and it was a fact that drove him absolutely nuts. She's Quinn's teenage daughter! The thoughts that had gone through his mind when he'd seen her from behind, not knowing who she was still had the power to make him feel guilt.

Sanctuary was a busy little place so they parked at the side, not wanting to drag the currently bloody Herbert through the bar. They came in the side door that lead into the store room causing Brooklyn who was back there to jump and let out a scream. "Holy shit! You could use the front...door..." she trailed off, her eyes settling on the blood her face went pale.

"Brooke," Quinn went to his eldest daughter and grabbed her arm tightly. "You okay." And all of a sudden she dropped, would have gone right to the floor if Quinn hadn't caught her and held her limp frame to him. He turned to Happy. "Get Tink."

Happy gave a sharp nod and left through the door that lead into the hallway. Dax was in the hallway, drunk and stumbling back toward one of the rooms. Happy went in the opposite direction and pushed open the door that lead into the bar.

It was a busy night, rock music played through the speakers. Patrons lined the bar keeping Tink very busy. Nearly every table was full, a few wore patches, others were just locals looking for a drink. He could distinguish crow-eaters from the women there with their men. Go-Go and Greg were playing a round of pool. The far corner had a bit of space for dancing and it was there that his eyes lingered.

Indiana's blonde hair whipped around as Mac pulled her into him, she looked happy, a big smile on her face as the two of them danced to the quick beat of the song. There were a few other couples on the floor, a few crow-eaters moving provocatively. Indiana was in those damn orange tights again, but it didn't go as badly with the brown shorts and white tank-top. She bit her bottom lip and leaned in to hear whatever it was Mac was saying over the music, she laughed again and their bodies aligned when his arm went around her back.

And something just... snapped.

Happy stomped across the bar grabbed Mac by the back of his kutte and shoved him into the wall the move immediately followed by a fist to the face.

Mac grunted, the wall kept him from falling, he straighten up quickly. "What the hell, man?" Mac took a step forward and Happy roughly pushed him right back into the wall and pinned him there with a hand on the other man's shoulder.

"Hap?" Indiana grabbed his arm, her voice barely heard over the music and his white hot anger.

"She's Quinn's daughter!" Happy rasped, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "She's a child! You don't touch her, you don't even look at her!"

"We were just dancing," Indiana pulled on him but he hardly even felt her.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Happy growled at the newly patched brother. "You keep your god damn distance!"

"Hey! What's going on here?" Tink's voice was loud and it was then he realized the bar had gone eerily quiet, the music was off and despite how many patrons there were all of them were silently watching the drama unfold.

"Nothing, is happening," Mac wiped blood from his split lip on the back of his hand. "Right?"

Happy shook his head. "She is a child."

"I'm seventeen!"

"A child," Happy repeated looking at her. He wasn't even sure who he was scolding anymore, Mac or himself. She was looking up at him with her big blue eyes that still seemed too big for her face, she was pouting and her arms were crossed over her chest. He turned to Mac. "Keep your hands off her." His eyes cut back to Indiana. "Go to the bar. Tink, you're needed in the back room."

The tension changed subtly. No longer was Tink worried about a fight breaking out in her bar, she was worried about Quinn and the other Nomads.

"Is it Dad?" Indiana asked, her rage momentarily forgotten.

"Herb, hit in the arm."

The look of rage returned immediately to Indiana's face.

Tink first moved between Happy and Mac separating them. "Mac, get my first aid kid. It's in the bathroom of the dorm room at the end of the hall. Go," she pointed. Mac glared at Happy a second longer before storming around them. She turned to Indiana. "You okay?"

"I'm perfectly fine," Indiana responded angrily, her eyes never leaving Happy's face. His eyes narrowed, his anger wasn't being helped by Indiana's indignant rage. Indiana looked like she wanted to rage more but instead turned on her heel and walked over to the bar turning the music back on.

::

Brooklyn was resting in one of the dorm rooms, it was quite apparent that she didn't do well with so much blood.

Tink had Herbert sitting as she patched him up, the bullet sitting on the desk in the backroom. "There we go. It'll hurt for a while but I don't think there will be any permanent damage," she said taking off the gloves. "I want you to stay off your bike for a while though," she put up her hand when Herbert opened his mouth to argue. "I mean it," she said sharply. "You'll mess your arm up bad if you don't listen and then you won't ever be able to ride." That silenced him effectively.

"Nice work, babe," Quinn said resting his hands on her little shoulders.

"Thanks, there is just one more thing now," she turned to look at Happy first who was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and then Mac who was sitting on the desk. She was not happy with the fight that had broken out, especially since it had been between brothers.

Indiana walked in at that moment with one of the bar rags, ice could be heard knocking around inside of it, held together with a hair elastic. She caught Mac's eyes the second she came in and walked straight to him. "This will help," she said softly pressing it to his split lip and his hand covered hers keeping it there.

Quinn cleared his throat and Indiana slipped her hand out. "What?" she turned on her father. Quinn was shocked into inaction, Indiana rarely snapped, and even less frequently was her anger directed at him.

"What is going on between you two?" Quinn asked when he finally found his voice.

Indiana laughed bitterly and shook her head. "Nothing," she glared at Happy. "I'm just a child. Right?" She turned back to her father. "And seriously, we were dancing, it wasn't a big deal. God forbid I have a bit of fun right?'

"Ind-"

"I'm not a little girl anymore!" She yelled at her father.

Tink's hand went to the bridge of her nose. Herbert looked uncomfortable. Harry's expression was unreadable as usual. Mac looked surprised at Indiana's outburst. Happy could feel the tension in his shoulders as he waited to see how this played out.

"I'm seventeen, Dad! I've gone out with a guy befo-"

"You did what?" Quinn might seem calm, but there was anger in his voice, the set of his jaw tensed.

"Dinner, movie, you know, a date," Indiana hadn't lost steam in her anger, in fact, it seemed like she was building it.

"Let us just take a minute," Tink said calmly as she stood stepping between her husband and her step-daughter.

"You didn't tell me," Quinn said.

"Of course I didn't! Look at how you react when I just dance with Mac. One of your brothers! I get the third degree for bringing him ice. You going to start thinking Tink is getting it on with Herbert because she's sewing up his arm?"

Tink grimaced and Herbert shook his head.

"Of course not!"

"Then why does everyone seem to think I'm a god damn slut around here?" And then there was tears and they glossed her big blue eyes that had the power to make everyone in the room- involved or not- feel guilty for something. "I was just dancing, Dad. He didn't touch me... not like he did, we were just having fun..." her voice got quiet and the subtle admission caused a great discord of tension in the room.

"Herb, Harry, Mac- out," Quinn ordered, his eyes not leaving his youngest daughter who was wiping away tears on the back of one hand, while her other arm hugged around her middle. Mac's hand grazed her arm and she shot him an almost desperate look, he gave her a sad little grin and walked out with the other guys.

There was silence between the four of them for a long minute. "What do you mean 'like he did?'" Quinn asked for clarification and Happy knew he was praying that his baby girl didn't remember.

Indiana sniffled a bit and Tink went over to her, wrapping a protective arm around the girl's waist. "Oh, honey," Tink said softly rubbing her back. Indiana had the look of a cornered animal, she shook her head, the fight in her was gone and replaced by sadness.

"Indiana?" Quinn approached his daughter.

"Did you kill him?" Indiana asked but her eyes cut to Happy. "Dad said you made him go away."

Quinn turned to Happy who looked to Quinn for the answer to give. The president nodded his head slightly and Happy looked back at Indiana. "Yes."

She bit her bottom lip and nodded. "So you know."

Quinn ran his hand through his long hair and it was easy to see the usually calm, cool and collected Nomad president was distraught. "You remember."

"Hard to forget," she said in a small voice. "I'm not a little girl anymore, Dad," her voice was little more than a whisper, but easily heard in the quiet of the back room. "I'm going to date boys, and maybe I'll even like one of them... you need to make peace with that." She sighed and shifted. "Can I go now?"

"I'll drive you home," Tink offered.

"No," Indiana refused. "My car is in the lot. I want to be by myself anyway."

She turned to go out the back door but her father stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "You're always going to be my little girl," he said softly. "But I love you, and I trust you... it's men I don't trust."

She nodded but didn't turn to face him. "Yeah... I know." She walked out the side door letting in a breeze of cool air.


	21. Toxic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brooklyn's mother, Helena shows up at Sanctuary.

There are days where even Happy Lowman wished that he had just stayed in bed. This was one of those days. Since he was trying to save money, he was staying in one of the dorm rooms in Sanctuary. There was something wrong with the water heater and he'd been forced to have a cold shower. If that wasn't bad enough someone had used the last of the coffee and hadn't bothered to put out a new one, he spent a half hour searching the back store room but hadn't found any. At that point, he figured, he should have returned to bed.

Instead he went outside, the sun was beaming down and it was a scorcher. Brooklyn was cursing and kicking her little black rust bucket of a cage, doing it rather colourfully too. She was dressed in tiny black jean shorts that were high wasted, the sheer white top was tucked in and her white bra was visible through it.

She had a wrench in her hand, but it was clear she had no idea what she was doing with it. It was almost funny, right up to the point she whirled around and threw the wrench for all it was worth... and it hit the front of his bike making a loud 'ping' sound and Happy could see the paint scraped and the dent from the force. Brooklyn cursed once again, it was clear she didn't know anyone was around. She approached the bike. "Oh shit, oh shit," she was muttering as she brushed her thumb over the dent. "Shit, crap, oh why is this happening?"

Happy didn't say anything as he came to stand beside her. She looked up, a terrified look in her eyes. "Hap, I don't know what happened to yo..." his eyes cut to her and narrowed, she swallowed hard. "You saw that, didn't you?" He just stared betting on the fact that it would unnerve her, it did. "I'm so sorry Hap, I didn't mean to, I was just so frustrated with the car. Damn thing won't run, I don't know what the hell is wrong with it."

"You're paying for the damage."

"Come on, it's only a little ding! It's fine..." He glared at her. "Okay, okay, I'll pay for the it."

"This is the worst day ever," Brooklyn muttered. "I'm late, I'm really, really late, and..." she looked up at Happy. "I need your help."

He should have known that the day was about to turn to complete chaos right then and there. Instead he looked at the panic in her eyes and sighed. "What is it?"

"It's..." she trailed off looking past him, he could hear a car coming on the lot and he turned to see a little red sports car. "Oh shit."

"Who is it?" He tensed up, almost readying for a fight.

"Where's my dad? We have to keep him away from here!"

"It's the day for ordering," Happy replied. "He'll be here any... minute..." he could tell Brooklyn also heard the approaching motorcycle. Brooklyn shut her light brown eyes and her eyelashes casted a shadow over her cheekbones.

Quinn drove the motorcycle in, Tink's black Lincoln behind him, as much as she seemed to enjoy riding on a motorcycle, she usually drove her own vehicle incase he ended up going on club business, she didn't want to be stranded. Behind them came Indiana's little light blue car that appeared to be recently washed.

"Some ex of yours in that red cage?"

"No. Worse," Brooklyn replied as the car door opened. "My mother."

Brooklyn's mother didn't look old enough to be her mother. She was one of those women who looked more like her daughter's sister. She was perhaps slightly shorter than Brooklyn, maybe a couple pounds lighter, dressed in an expensive looking teal blouse and black pencil skirt, stylish blue kitten heels on her feet. Her skin was the same olive colouring of Brooklyn's, perhaps a shade darker. Her hair was longer than Brooklyn kept it, but the same dark brown that waved and curled beautifully.

Happy turned to look at Quinn who was off his motorcycle, his eyes on Brooklyn's mother. He turned and saw Tink get out of her vehicle, and it seemed she figured out who this woman was quickly- it wasn't hard to put two and two together. Indiana parked beside Tink and angled out of the vehicle only to duck her head back in and come out carrying her backpack. She shut the car door and then seemed to realize that the parking lot had gotten tense.

Indiana seemed to study the woman who was unloading the trunk of the car and then hurried across the lot to stand by Brooklyn. She completely ignored Happy as she had ever since the conversation in the backroom.

"Do you have another sister?"

"No," Brooklyn said sounding agitated. "That's my mother, Helena Leto."

"Rane," Helena greeted with a smile. "Mind helping me with my bags. I think I'll be needing a room here."

"Christ. I have to do something," Brooklyn muttered before forging forward leaving Happy and Indiana standing there.

Indiana seemed tense, looked at him, and then walked away quickly toward Tink. Happy followed in Brooklyn's tracks toward Quinn. He could see the tension in the president from across the lot.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Quinn asked.

"I'm here visiting our daughter, Rane."

"Mom, I couldn't get my car started," Brooklyn said so fast she nearly stumbled over the words. "Come on, I'll take you out of Red Willow, there isn't anything to do here anyways, I know a nice hotel over in-"

"This will do nicely," Helena cut her daughter off. "I always did enjoy a good night at Sanctuary." Helena stepped closer to Quinn and ran her hand down his chest. "I remember a few incredible ones in room three."

Quinn grabbed her wrist and wrenched her hand away from him. "You should find another place to stay."

"You should be lucky I didn't come sooner. Brooke is our daughter, I have every right to visit her, and if she's staying her, so shall I."

Tink was announced by the quick 'clicks' of her black stilettos she stopped beside Quinn, dressed in a little black dress that had three quarter-length sleeves, silver bangles jingling on her wrists, a little silver name badge pinned to her shirt.

"Oh good," Helena said looking at her with a smile. "Do go along and open up the bar, I'd just love a Long Island Iced Tea." Tink's bright blue eyes burned with anger and narrowed at Helena. Helena just gave a cocky smile. "Keep whatever smart comment to yourself," Helena pulled her shirt up just a little and on her hip was a crow tattoo. "Know your place."

"Know yours," Quinn nearly growled. "Tink is my wife."

Helena looked Tink over. "But not your Old Lady," Helena smiled. "Right? No crow."

"I don't need one," Tink responded icily.

"Mom, come on, I know this hotel with a spa, it's lovely," Brooklyn tried to convince her mother, but Helena just shot her a dirty look.

"Nonsense. I'm here to spend time with you, my daughter."

"Then you can do it," Quinn said. "Out of Red Willow."

"I will do it wherever I damn well please. How are the rates here, Rane?"

"Out of your price range."

Helena smiled and tilted her head just slightly. "I know that isn't so, and you know I could have this place shut down in a heartbeat. I still have some very... powerful friends in the area."

"Three hundred a night."

"Two hundred," Helena decided. "And I'd prefer three since it's open." Her eyes then cut to Indiana. "She looks just like you, Rane. You must be Indiana? It was your mother that was my breaking point you know. He had an affair in Sidney, then one in... Indiana, with your mother. Whore that one."

"Enough!" Tink snapped shoving Helena away from Indiana and stepping between them.

"She isn't your daughter," Helena said. "No crow, no kid? Hm?"

"She's got a wedding band and respect," Indiana's voice was hoarse and angry.

"You'll show respect to my wife, Helena," Quinn demanded. "And my daughters."

Helena smiled. "I knew you'd come around, Rane. I need the key, and do grab that luggage."

::

Happy was sitting on the bar and heard the door open, Brooklyn came into view a few seconds later. Quinn and Tink were both behind the bar and Indiana was doing her homework on the couch, or was suppose to be, she'd turned to look over the back when her half-sister came in.

"I thought I could prevent this," Brooklyn said before any questions could be asked. "I was suppose to pick her up at the airport, but my damn car wouldn't start! And I guess I was too late because she rented a car and came here! I wasn't going to bring her to Sanctuary, I wasn't even going to bring her into Red Willow!" Brooklyn ran her hands through her hair. "I'm so sorry, I thought... she just said..." she let out an angry groan and walked behind her father and Tink, brought down a bottle of Burbon and took a swig of it straight from the bottle. "Shit."

"Can we make her leave?" Tink asked through her teeth, anger simmering just below the surface.

"No, she wasn't lying when she said she still has powerful friends around here." Quinn said logically, his mind functioning, processing the information trying to come up with a beneficial solution- it was his ability to stay calm and think clearly that made him such a great president. "She could have the place shutdown at the very least for weeks for an inquiry. We'd lose too much."

"She won't stay," Brooklyn said. "A few days before she gets bored of it here, she needs the hustle and bustle of New York."

"Is that why you came here?" Indiana asked, her arms were folded over the back of the couch, her chin resting on her arms. "To avoid her?"

"You spend the first twenty four years of your life with that woman and you'd fly across the continent too," Brooklyn responded before taking another swig of Bourbon. Quinn took the bottle from his daughter and put it back up on the shelf.

"Keep her out of here as much as possible, Brooke," Quinn ordered her.

"I'll try," Brooklyn responded.

::

By the time the bar was in full swing, Helena was walking in bold red stilettos, her hair was pinned up, a few strands dangling down in a teasing manner, her dress was black, skin tight and showed off a trim body. Her lips were painted a bold red and eyes flashed to her.

Happy received a light elbow and he turned. "What the fuck is that gash doing here?" Harry, the nomad Sargent at Arms asked. Of course, if any of the guys would know who Helena was, it was the man who had once been patched in the New York charter.

"Visiting her daughter," Happy answered quietly.

Harry looked from Helena, to Tink behind the bar, to Quinn who was over with Dax and Frankie doing his best to ignore a woman who wore his crow. "Shit," Harry muttered. "Ten bucks says someone sheds blood tonight."

Happy didn't like to lose money, so he shook his head.

::

Helena's laughter was loud, the local men had taken to her immediately while who she was had spread like wild fire to the Sons and they all gave her a wide berth, none of them wanting to mess with a woman who had once been Quinn's old lady. Brooklyn kept trying to get her to leave, but it was almost as if Helena was enjoying the situation she'd put her daughter in.

Happy happened to be sitting at the bar when Helena came over. "Long Island Iced Tea," she ordered taking a seat beside him. "Double down on the alcohol."

Tink shot her a look that said she'd rather throw in a dash of antifreeze.

"I don't remember you," Helena said turning to Happy. "You must not have been a Son when Rane and I got together."

Happy didn't see any point in responding so he took another pull from his beer.

Indiana came back behind the bar and was working on filling up a round of shots when Helena reached forward and snapped her fingers in front of her. "You look just like your father... except for those eyes. Those are the whore's."

"Enough," Happy growled at Helena.

"I'm just making conversation," Helena said sweetly, completely un-bothered by Happy's intimidating demeanor.

"Well stop," Tink cut in. "You don't talk to my daughter like that."

"She isn't yours," Helena responded coldly. "You obviously can't have children. Cold, empty womb."

Happy was shocked at the dual identical reaction of Tink and Indiana, which was to grab Helena by the straps of her dress and pull her chest over the bar, but it was Tink that added a solid punch to the face, her silver rings cutting through skin.

Helena stumped back, her hand going to her face. "You bitch!"

Tink stepped around the bar and it was clear that her no fighting in the bar rule was about to go out the window when she took her rings off her fingers and passed them to Angus, the nearest Son, she then took out her silver hoop earing and put them in his hand as well.

"Hey, let's just talk about this!" Brooklyn tried but neither woman was having any of it.

"Jesus," Quinn muttered standing by Happy.

"You going to break it up?" Happy asked.

"I can't hit Helena." Happy understood, Quinn had a strict rule about men hitting women- it was completely unacceptable. "So... I might just be getting a little bit of satisfaction out of this. Besides, I break this up and Tink'll be pissed with me." Still, Happy knew if at anytime the fight looked like it was turning Helena's way, he'd step in, there was no way he'd allow Tink to be hurt badly.

The women exchanged fists, angry words. There was hair pulling, cursing and screaming. Helena got a solid punch in, but it did nothing to deter the very pissed off Tink.

Indiana stood by her father, her eyes wide with worry.

Brooklyn stepped in and stepped between the two women and ended up on the receiving end of one of her mother's fists. "Enough!" Brooklyn shouted. "No fighting in the god damn bar!" The two women stood away from each other, breathing a little harder from the fight, anger still burning in their eyes, hands still balled in fists. "Just... enough. Please, Mom," Brooklyn begged. "I have a life here. I belong here. Don't ruin this for me."

"You ruined my entire life," Helena responded cooly with a pretty smile on her face. "You haven't seen anything yet, Brooke." With that Helena grabbed her jewellery back from her daughter and walked out of the bar.

"Next few days are going to be interesting," Harry muttered and Happy nodded.


	22. Stir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Helena continues to stir the pot at Sanctuary.

"I could gut the bitch dispose of her where no one would ever find the body," Happy offered after nearly forty eight hours of Helena Leto being at Sanctuary.

"Tempting," Brooklyn replied as she set a beer, remarkably the kind he actually preferred. "But no. She always has her ducks in a row before she does anything. She goes missing I'm sure this place would be crawling with ATF. She wasn't lying when she said she has powerful friends."

She continued drying the pint glasses since the bar was winding down at the end of the night. Indiana had conked out on the bar three hours earlier over her homework, the pen was still dangling from her fingertips.

Tink walked behind the bar with more empties and put them into the sink. "I'm going to murder her. I'm going to cut her open from throat to sternum and look around, because there is no way she actually has a heart in that body of hers."

"When did you get so violent?" Brooklyn muttered.

"About the time that hussy mother of yours walked in," Tink's eyes followed Quinn around the bar. He leaned over a table to talk to Dax and Cricket for a minute and then he continued around.

"You really think I want her here?" Brooklyn asked through clenched teeth.

"No, I don't," Tink responded. "But it doesn't change the fact that she is, in fact, here." Tink's bright blue eyes were still tracking her husband and the tenseness in her jaw had Happy turning in his seat to follow her gaze.

Helena had made her way over to cut Quinn off, Quinn looked at his wits end. They spoke, but the words were lost due to music and distance. Quinn made an exasperated gesture with his hands and Helena stepped a bit closer, Quinn taking a step back, he said something and walked away from her, but she didn't look deterred.

"What the hell was that about?" Tink asked angrily as she thrust her hands into the sudsy water to start washing glasses.

"She wants to talk to me, alone, it's likely what she's going to stick around for, so I might as well get it out of the way. Maybe then she'll leave," Quinn replied.

"I don't see why you even were with her in the first place, Rane," Tink was fuming mad as she put the glasses into the middle sink swishing it around, splashing a bit in her anger. Brooklyn took the glass and did the same movement in the sanitation sink on the far right before putting it into the rack to air dry. "That kind of woman wears your crow."

"Tink."

"Rane."

Quinn sighed and gave Indiana a little shake. "Honey, why don't you go home and get some sleep."

Indiana picked her head up off her text book and looked around appearing momentarily disoriented.

"Rane?" Helena leaned against one of the wood pillars that held up a dartboard. "Care to walk me to my room."

"Here I was hoping she was a bad dream," Indiana muttered earning a snicker from her half-sister.

Quinn and Tink exchanged a look, Tink was obviously not pleased but Quinn just shrugged and followed Helena out. Tink threw down her rag and stormed off toward the back room. The two girls looked to each other, Indiana was chewing on her lower lip, Brooklyn appeared ready to pull out her hair.

"I'll talk to Tink," Brooklyn said.

"You sure?" Indiana asked. Brooklyn nodded and walked away.

Indiana seemed to realize then that she was pretty much alone with Happy, the bar was fairly long, but there were only two empty bar stools separating them. She caught his eye and quickly looked down at her homework, her pen tapping a little one-two beat.

Happy wasn't sure what to say to the young woman. The silence was the worst. Indiana was a chatterbox, the fact that she wasn't speaking, spoke volumes itself.

Brooklyn came back and Indiana looked at her. "Well?"

"She wouldn't even let me in the room. I've never seen her like this."

Indiana seemed pensive for a few seconds. "No one has ever threatened her place like this before."

"Please, it's Tink," Brooklyn said. "Everyone knows that Dad is crazy about her."

"She doesn't wear the crow," Happy pointed out.

"Maybe she doesn't want the tat," Brooklyn said.

Happy didn't think it had anything to do with more ink, Tink had ink, he figured she wouldn't be bothered by wearing a crow.

"It's Dad," Indiana said sleepily rubbing her right eye with her fist. "He doesn't want Tink to have it."

"Why not?" Brooklyn asked.

Indiana yawned. "Because," she said letting out a sigh. "Your mom went bat-shit after she got hers. I'm not sure if Sidney's mom has one, but my mom did, got it right before she found out she was pregnant and then she died. Dad's crow is cursed."

"That sounds like bull shit."

"Why risk it," Indiana shrugged.

"Dad? Superstitious? I don't believe it."

"Then bring a black cat around next Friday the thirteenth," Indiana responded with a little grin. She tapped her pen against her textbook. "What do you think Helena wanted to talk to Dad about?"

Brooklyn shrugged. "No idea. She enjoys stirring shit up."

"What did she mean when she said that you ruined her life?"

Happy could hear Brooklyn's teeth grind together. "Doesn't matter."

"If she's here because of you, if she's hurting Mom and Dad than it does matter," Indiana responded heatedly.

Brooklyn was momentarily saved from having to answer when Quinn walked back in looking eight kinds of pissed. "Where is Tink?"

"Dorm room, she won't open the door," Brooklyn responded.

Quinn started toward the door that lead to the hallway but Happy was out of his seat and grabbed his arm. "What the hell Hap?"

Happy pointed to the bold red lipstick the collar of Quinn's t-shirt.

"Fuck," Quinn cursed and walked back to the bar finding a rag and trying his best to get it out but only making it worse.

"What did she want to talk to you about?" Indiana asked her father.

"Doesn't look like she wanted to talk at all," Brooklyn muttered.

"No, she didn't."

Indiana turned on her sister again. "Well? What did you do?"

"She's queen bitch and you look at me like I've done something wrong!"

"You have to piss someone off pretty good for them to wait years and fly across a continent to get you back!" Indiana shot back angrily, her hands in fists as she stared down her sister.

"She couldn't come earlier," Brooklyn muttered. "She was serving a prison sentence. Her lawyer got her time cut, but she served."

"For what?" Quinn asked.

"Drug trade. Her sleaze ball boyfriend was all about hallucinogens, but he dabbled a bit with pretty much everything." Brooklyn turned to her father and there were tears in her eyes. "I went to the cops, Dad."

Daughters of Sons didn't go to cops.

Quinn studied his eldest child closely. "Why?"

"One night it just... it got too much. We lived in a nice home, but sometimes some of his... preferred clients would come over when Mom wasn't there. All women... one night he confused me for one of them..."

Quinn's hands had a white knuckle grin on the bar. "Did he..."

"No," Brooklyn shook her head. "I hit him over the head with a frying pan, ran up to my room. Mom was on one of her spa retreats... I didn't know who else to call... I just wanted to be safe, Dad... you were a picture hidden in my floorboard, an ideal, and I knew you lived too far away to be of any help to me."

Indiana was crying empathetically for her sister, for her father's who's guilt at not being there for his daughter was clear to see.

"Helena was proven guilty along with her boyfriend," Quinn broke it down. "And she blames you."

"He was shanked in prison," Brooklyn said. "He died before they even got him to the infirmary. She blames me for his death... I moved here when I found out she was being released. I didn't know where else to go..."

Quinn pulled his eldest daughter in and only then did she cry, her shoulders shaking with sobs.

One thing was certain that night, Helena was stirring the pot at Sanctuary, and it was only a matter of time before it boiled over.


	23. Buy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With a plan to get rid of Helena for good, Happy, Angus, Dax, and Dougy go to a buy for supplies.

Laughter rang out in the parking lot. It was a nice sound after the fights of the previous days. Happy turned to find it's origin. There was a basketball net over on the far side of the lot, Tink was running away with the basketball hugged to her chest but didn't get far before Quinn grabbed her around the waist and she laughed once again. Happy was glad that whatever happened the previous night seemed to have been smoothed over.

It was mid-day, so the bar was closed to anyone who wasn't a Son. The motel had a couple of people staying in rooms, unfortunately Helena was still one of them.

Indiana was sitting at the picnic table fussing over her homework. She frowned at the calculator and then erased an entire section on her paper.

"Homework?" He asked when he was close enough. He knew it was, but he was giving her a chance to tell him to go away.

"Yeah," she responded. She continued her work and he sat down across from her.

"We okay?"

She looked up, startled at that. She bit her bottom lip and nodded. "Yeah. We're good, Hap." She looked back down at her work and continued. A door opened and that caught her attention. Her lips pressed tightly together, her eyes narrowed at the woman, or maybe against he harsh rays of the mid-day sun. "Hey, Hap?"

"Yeah?"

"Brooke said Helena got picked up on illegal substances, right?"

"Yeah..."

"What would happen if she was using again?"

He gave a little grin. "Depends on if she got caught."

"Hypothetically, lets say she did."

"Depending on how much, she'd be sent to prison."

"Hm," Indiana continued to stare at her homework like it could hid her smile. "That's interesting, isn't it."

Happy knew exactly what she was implying, and honestly, it wasn't a bad idea.

::

"Oh, it's bordering on brilliance," Brooklyn whispered. "But how the hell are we to pull that off? Besides, she'd probably just blow the judge and get off for slutty behaviour."

Indiana grimaced. "Ew. Not a mental picture I needed, thanks."

"Focus," Tink whispered. "Is this an option, Rane?"

"Definitely," Quinn responded in a low voice as they all stood in the backroom of Sanctuary. "Dougy, if anyone knows where to get a large quantity of drugs, its him." He turned to Happy. "Go with Dougy, take Angus and Dax with you. Take money from the treasury. However much it takes to get rid of this bitch. I'll pay it back later."

"I think we all want to get rid of her," Happy muttered. Even he would take a pay cut if it meant they could finally get Helena out of Red Willow.

::

Dougy was so god damn fidgety Happy figured he was probably using, then again, Happy had met Dougy's wife a few times, if anyone could make you a user, it was that woman.

Angus, for all of his crude behaviour and lewd remarks that had become a staple from him, he was a calm force, completely focussed on the surroundings as they waited for the supplier.

Dax simply appeared bored as he laid on his bike, his sunglasses covering his eyes. Happy wasn't worried about him though, Dax was as solid as a brother could get.

Happy stood waiting. He never saw the point of pacing. He was a rather patient man, but he checked his watch. "He's late."

Dougy checked his watch. "No, we're early. He'll be here soon." Dougy paced a bit, adjusted his kutte, kicked up some dirt.

Happy shook his head fished a cigarette out of his pack, the last one. "Damn it," he muttered putting the stick between his lips as he tried to find his lighter and then remembered Cricket borrowing it earlier in the day but he couldn't remember him ever giving it back. Cricket never bought his own lighters, he just mastered the art of taking everyone else's. "Anyone got a light?"

"Here," Dax was first to respond, and Happy was surprised, frankly he'd thought the man had fallen asleep. Dax fished a lighter from his jeans and threw it at Happy who caught it. A cheap black Bic that didn't light the first two times but finally caught the third. He breathed in the smoke and held it a second as he tossed the lighter back at Dax who fumbled it, cursed and had to get up to pick it up.

"You think they ran into problems?" Dougy said not pausing in his pacing.

"They aren't that late," Dax muttered shoving his lighter back in his pocket. "Traffic in this area is insane." They were standing in the back of an abandoned school that had been torched three years ago and while there was talk about knocking it down and re-zoning it, the town wasn't moving that fast. "Schools let out about fifteen minutes ago." Nothing sucked more than school buses stopping ever block, which it surely would in an area like this.

Angus sat down on his bike and the four men waited it out another eight minutes before Dougy's hookup finally pulled in. A black van, tinted windows, dent in the front bumper. Everyone stood and made a line, Happy's hand itched for the familiar weight of his gun.

A big guy came out of the driver side, bald, tattoo's everywhere and eyes that narrowed dangerously. A second man came out the passenger side, he looked a little twitchy even from a distance, he was lanky, his blond hair a shaggy mess. Four other guys came out the back and Happy stood a little straighter, he turned to Dougy. "I thought we were going to be on even ground," he said low and angry as his dark eyes cut to the fidgety Son. He'd been told that there would be four guys at the meet, not six.

"Shit, shit, shit," Dougy muttered under his breath.

"This going to be a brawl?" Dax asked cracking his knuckles.

"Wait it out," Angus said quietly. "None have them have drawn weapons yet. Damn wetbacks probably can't count."

"Douglas Todd," the driver spoke. "You owe us money."

The Sons all turned to Dougy. "I fell a little behind, I'll get the money."

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Dax muttered, his eyes shifting, sizing up the other men.

"That's what you said last time Doug," the big man said stepping closer. "I don't really believe you."

"Look at this business I bring you," Dougy defended himself. "I'll pay my debt, I'm good for it, you know that."

"I don't know that," the man's face was contorted in his rage grabbing Dougy by the front of his kutte.

Happy shot a look at Dax who gave a grin and cracked his knuckles. "Pinata time boys!"

Violence broke out. Rage coloured vision red and it was glorious. Golden rings were speckled with blood. Knuckles were busted open. Jaws and ribs were aching.

Two shots and everyone jumped, froze and then looked around.

Happy had a guy in a choke-hold and spotted Dougy who was bleeding on the ground. He wasn't writhing, wasn't screaming or bitching. He was still and he was silent. The crack that followed registered to Happy a few seconds later when he looked down to see he'd snapped the man's neck without thinking about it. "Shit."

"Son of a bitch!" Angus jumped the guy with the gun and in the struggle for the weapon a few more shots ended up fired, but no one was hit. Angus broke the man's nose with a fist to the face, which also got him the gun. He pointed it at the man, anger on his face, the grip tight, green eyes wide with panic. He took a few steps back and kicked Dougy. "Doug. Come on man, get up."

Blood was coating the shirt Dougy wore under his kutte. Looked like something vital had been hit.

"Dougy!" Dax kicked the second man he'd beaten unconscious in the face one last time before he jogged over to their fallen brother.

Happy eyed the still standing wetbacks menacingly, almost daring them with his dark eyes to come forward.

"He's dead," Dax declared pulling his gun from the back of his pants. "Look, this is how this is going to go. We take the van and everything inside of it. You walk away. You don't want a war to start, and we really don't have time for this kind of shit."

"He killed a brother," Happy nearly growled at Dax.

"My call," Dax replied sternly his gun never wavering.

"Alright," the driver said. "Alright."

::

They ended up with Dougy loaded into the back of the van.

"More vehicles than drivers," Angus said running his hand through his dark hair.

"I called Quinn," Dax replied. "He's sending out a couple of guys to pick up the bikes."

"What about police, what if they get here first?"

"Quinn knows a guy on the force here," Dax replied staring inside the back of the van at the body of their friend. "No police coming."

"We should have killed that son of a bitch," Happy said. A brother died and there was to be no retaliation?

"Trust me, Hap," Dax said looking solemn. "We're better off."

"What the hell is that suppose to mean?" Angus asked sounding angry, his back to the truck refusing to look in at their fallen brother.

"You guys remember that shipment of guns a while back?"

"The one that got hijacked by the Mayans?"

"Yeah, that's the one," Dax replied. "Couldn't figure out how the hell they knew the route, it was new."

"No one should have known," Happy said.

"Right, no one outside of the club that is."

"You think Dougy was a rat," Angus asked in a low voice, his eyes shifting around the deserted lot like someone might actually hear them.

"I know he is... was," Dax replied shaking his head and slamming the double back doors of the van. "Checked his phone records."

"Payment?" Happy figured out loud, his arms crossed, his teeth grinding in anger.

"That's what I thought," Dax replied. "Get out of his drug debt with the Mayans by selling out his own brothers. I knew his addiction was getting worse but... I had no idea it was this bad. Not until this morning..."

"Which is when Quinn sent us all out," Angus muttered. "You should have said something."

"I figured we could wait until we got the drugs. If we didn't have Dougy here then they might not have even brought the drugs in, and we need them."

"We could have gotten them elsewhere."

"But that would take time, and frankly, I just want to get rid of that fucking gash."

The other two men nodded in agreement. Besides, the bitch named 'karma' had dealt out her own version of justice.


	24. Avoidance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Indiana is insistent about going into town, but refuses to tell her father or Happy why.

Quinn and Harry met Happy, Dax, and Angus on the outskirts of Red Willow. There was a little abandoned rest stop and it was a good spot to meet.

"You said you ran into problems," Quinn said as Happy and Angus dismounted their bikes and Dax jumped out of the front of the van. "Where is Dougy?"

Dax quickly explained all the evidence that Dougy had been a rat and then opened the back of the van. Harry and Quinn looked in, Quinn cursed and Harry just continued his search for his lighter. Quinn climbed in the back stepping over the body to check out the bags of drugs.

"Is it enough?"

"Yeah," Quinn said after doing a quick tally in his head. "Now we just got to get it in her car, get Officer Richards to pick her up and take her in."

Happy figured there were plenty of places where this plan could all fall apart, but they were all too deep in it to back out now. He just hoped that their determination to get rid of Helena didn't blind their judgement.

::

Happy walked into Sanctuary through the side door that lead into the storage room. Brooklyn was in there, sitting at the desk with her phone in hand. She looked up at him when the door closed. "So?"

"You're up. Keep her busy."

Brooklyn nodded and took a deep breath. "Yeah, okay." She shoved her phone into the pocket of her black skinny jeans and went through the door leading into the hallway while Happy turned around and exited the way he came.

He spotted Indiana walking from the tree line behind the bar/motel and froze for a second. He blamed it on the shock of the acid green t-shirt she wore. Thing should be burned. She had paired it with a pair of black shorts and orange leggings. The leggings, he decided, should be burned as well. She had brown, flatfooted boots that had zippers and decorative belts, that came nearly up to her knees. Branches crunched under her feet as she walked along. She had some flower tucked behind her ear, a little cluster of yellow buttercups. She caught him looking at her and she stopped to stare back.

"Hap!" Quinn called from the van.

Happy turned from Indiana and returned to the Nomad president's side. "Indiana's coming," he warned and Quinn quickly shut the back of the van. He passed off the bag filed with baggies of LSD, cocaine, ecstasy, and a couple bags of meth for good measure, over to Harry who pulled it over his shoulder and walked away while smoking his joint.

Indiana came around the side of her van and gave them a little grin. "Everything went okay?"

Happy looked at Quinn who was the one to respond, "More or less."

This was apparently an answer Indiana was use to if the eye roll was any indication. "You need anything? I have to run to the store."

"What for?"

"For stuff."

Quinn cut his eyes to his daughter. "What kind of stuff?"

"Like, stuff, dad," Indiana clearly didn't want to be pressed further, and she wasn't liking where the conversation could potentially lead if the blush on her cheeks was any indication.

With everything that had happened with the Mayans at the meet, Happy understood the reluctance and worry that Quinn was displaying. "Fine. Take Happy with you."

"What? No!" Indiana's naturally wide eyes looked comical when they widened in shock. "No way. Look, I'll be fine."

"Things didn't go exactly smooth," Quinn explained calmly. "I don't want you out there alone until I know if this is going to blow back."

Indiana sucked in a breath. "I'll take Tink."

"Then I'll send two guys to watch you two."

"What? No. Dad, I'll take my gun."

"You never put bullets in the damn thing anyway."

Indiana glared at her father. "I do sometimes!"

"Yeah, when I'm taking you out for target practice," Quinn responded, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Look, I just got to pick up a few things in town, I'm not even leaving Red Willow. I'll be like a half hour, tops!"

"You're going with one of the guys. End of story."

"Dad! You're being completely unreasonable!"

Happy nudged Quinn in the ribs and nodded his head over toward the lot. Both Quinn and Indiana stopped arguing for a moment and watched as Brooklyn lead her mother into the bar. Quinn took out his phone and called Harry. "All clear. Angus still watching your back?"

"Yeah," Harry's booming voice was loud enough for all three to hear. "Mac is in the bar, he'll text if it looks like the... if Helena is leaving." Happy figured that Harry had been going to call the ex-old lady a choice word and thought better of it last minute.

"Alright, get it done." Quinn hung up the phone and stared at his youngest. "The answer is still the same, and it isn't changing."

"Can we compromise? He can escort me to the place but I go in alone."

Now it seemed Quinn was curious. "What the hell are you getting? Is this some kind of meet? You going to meet some punk ass-"

"No Dad!" Indiana cut off the tirade before it could pick up speed. Her eyes shut and she pinched the bridge of her nose, it was something Quinn did on occasion when shit got deep and Happy did his best to hide the amusement he got from Indiana mirroring the same habit. "I just need some things."

"I don't like the way you're avoiding the subject."

Indiana flushed as her had dropped from her nose. "Can we not do this?"

"We most certainly are doing this! Where the hell are you going?"

"To the drug store."

Quinn's aggravation died immediately. "You sick?" he asked putting his hand to her forehead and that earned him a little grin from Indiana.

"I'm okay, Daddy."

The side door closed with a slam and all three of them turned to look at Tink. "Brooke is with her, don't give me that look, I couldn't take being around her anymore! She's completely intolerable."

"Tink, I have to go to the drug store. Tell Dad to let me go."

Tink huffed out a breath. "Rane, let her go."

Quinn took the time to quickly explain about the Mayans.

"Hmm," Tink said. "Fine, I'll go with her."

"I tried that," Indiana muttered.

"Happy and Frankie could go with you two."

"Rane, you're embarrassing your daughter," Tink said wisely. "I'll go to the store with her. I've got my beretta 92 and in the mood I'm in, I'll use it."

"With the Maya-"

"Rane."

Quinn looked at his wife and then his daughter. "Fine. But Happy is tailing you two. He can wait outside, but you come out the same door you go in, and you be quick."

"Fine," Indiana at this point seemed highly annoyed and started off across the lot without waiting to see if either Tink or Happy was following.

"What the heck is wrong with her?" Quinn asked.

"She's a teenage girl dealing with having an overbearing, overprotective father, you should be grateful she handles it as well as she does most days," Tink replied. "Come on, Hap."

::

Happy drove behind, vigilant of threats and parked near Indiana's little blue car. He looked around. There was a soccer mom van and a truck that an old man with a cane and a prescription bag was walking toward.

The pharmacy on Little Street was quiet, the area was residential. There were a couple of kids around the age of seven walking down the sidewalk, one of them with a basketball under his arm.

True to their promise, the women weren't inside long. They came out, Indiana holding a white plastic bag and he had to admit, he was a little curious as to what it was that had caused all the fuss.

"Ready to go?" Tink asked him and he nodded in return Indiana got in the driver side and Tink walked around to the passenger side and slid in.

He followed them through Red Willow, and down the long stretch that brought them to the outskirts where Sanctuary was. First thing he noticed was that Helena's car was missing, it brought a little grin to his face, it appeared things were in motion. Dax and Brooklyn were talking by the picnic table, which was surprising. They had dated for a bit when Brooklyn had first come to Red Willow, but lately she'd been shacking up with a recent patch from Tacoma whenever he was around. She and Dax weren't seen speaking to each other much anymore. Frankie was in the lot working on his show bike. He didn't see anyone else around but he parked to the side while Indiana parked a little crookedly but between the painted lines on the lot.

Frankie came over and snatched the bag from Indiana's hands in a playful manner. "Whatcha get kid?"

"Oh my God, Frankie!" Indiana reached trying to get it back, but despite how tall she was, Frankie was taller still. "Give it back!" she demanded, flushed out of possibly anger.

"Frankie," Tink warned in a motherly tone.

"What is all the damn fuss about?" Frankie wondered out loud. Indiana got her arm around his neck but he was able to get out before she could manage to put him in a choke hold. "You're a little crazy," he said pointing a finger at her as he maintained a distance, a step back for every angry calculated one she took forward.

"You are such a jerk! Give it now!"

He tossed her back the bag, obviously tiring of the game and the contents fell out. Indiana was quick to get everything in the bag, but not before Happy or Frankie saw it. Tampons and Midol. Frankie walked away while Indiana launched curses and creative insults at him.

Happy kept his mouth shut, he definitely understood why that was a conversation she avoided around him and her father. He decided it was best to pretend the entire afternoon never happened.

::

"Well?" Happy asked when he found Harry smoking a joint around back by the tree line.

"Planted. Brooklyn gave her mother a spa day, from the looks of the package it cost a small fortune, the girl wept, apologised and her mother went on her way to get pampered thinking nothing of anything. The drugs are hidden all over, put a few in her luggage case in her motel room to seal the deal. Quinn's made the call to Richards, he'll hit her with the flashing lights once she's out of Red Willow."

"Think we're rid of the bitch?"

Harry was quiet for a second. He took a long drag off the joint, held it for a good five seconds before he blew out a long line of smoke. "Not sure. Quinn wasn't kidding. She's got some powerful friends... on both sides of the law. Even if there aren't people who can get her out... there might be some that can help her get even."

Happy really didn't like the sound of that.


	25. Eavesdropping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy eavesdrops on a conversation between Indiana and her best friend, Emily.

Quinn got the call from Richards. Helena had been picked up and charged. The plan had gone rather smoothly all things considered. There was just one loose end.

"Hey," Indiana's voice behind the bar was sharp and demanding of the attention of all around her. The bar was closed so there were only fellow son's inside. Happy was finishing off a beer at a bar, Cricket sitting next to him already on his third. Mac and Angus had fifty dollars on their pool game. Greg and Go-Go had been talking at one of the tables turned to her. Brooklyn looked uneasy, probably because of her mother. Tink was behind the bar with Indiana and looked over the girls shoulder to see what she had and Quinn hung up his cell phone. "Where is Dougy?" Indiana asked now that she had everyone's attention. "He's got a two hundred dollar tab!"

Quinn looked to Dax who had just walked into the bar, slamming the door shut behind him. "Guys, church."

Indiana frowned and looked at Tink and then to Happy who took the last swig of his beer. "Hap?" she grabbed his wrist and he looked over at her. "What's going on?" she asked quietly.

He shook his head and left her with the question, it simply wasn't his place.

It was in church that Dax explained to the rest of the brothers about Dougy and showed them the proof that he was a rat. Harry along with the two most recent patches, Angus and Mac were going to be sent out to dispose of the body.

Until they were sure there wasn't going to be Mayan blowback the guys were to ride in partners, it was left unsaid, but everyone knew that meant that Quinn's girls as well as the crow-eaters and hang-arounds should be warned about the Mayans and watched out for. Quinn didn't like club retaliation coming into Red Willow.

The guys left the church room and walked back into the bar. The women were huddled around the bar but stopped talking when the guys came out. Quinn walked over to them and spoke quietly, but the men all knew what he was telling them. Tink looked to the ceiling, cursed and shook her head before putting a comforting arm around Indiana who's eyes were filled with tears and she looked down at the counter.

Time ticked by and it was nearly time to open the bar. "Honey," Tink said softly. "You okay?"

Indiana hadn't shed any of the tears. She nodded, sniffled a bit. "I'll be back in a sec, okay?"

"Yeah, okay."

The young woman kept her head down as she made her way through the bar and Happy watched Harry leave with Angus and Mac.

::

The next three days passed uneventfully. Everyone kept waiting for something to happen. Happy figured Helena's phone calls were to those who might be able to get her out of prison, she wasn't thinking on retaliation. Happy figured that if the Mayans wanted a little retribution, they would have come for it already so all in all, it was rather quiet at Sanctuary.

Happy couldn't afford a new part on his bike so he was going to tune it up the best he could and hope to keep it on the road until he could make some more money. Problem was that lately, Nomads hadn't had much for their own business. Most of the guys were helping out other charters trying to get a payday.

He knew around back was a big tool lock-bin, the key was hidden behind a loose brick in Sanctuary's thick brick wall. He was making his way around the motel wing but stopped when he heard a laugh- one he didn't recognize, but it was joined with Indiana's.

"Ew, ew," Indiana was repeating. "I can't believe you, Em."

"What? He's hot!"

"Gross!" Indiana laughed. "Dax? He's too old for you!"

"Yeah, like you should be talking to me about being attracted to older guys."

"Shut up! That's different."

"How so?"

"Because, I know it'll never happen. So what if I like him-"

"'Like?' Please I bet you want to strip him dow-"

"Emily!" Indiana's voice went high and thin. "Oh my God!"

"Yeah, except you'd be repeating that over and ov-"

"Em! Cut it out."

Emily laughed. "Don't worry, Indie, your secret is safe with me. It's in the vault. I'll never speak of it."

Indiana groaned. "I knew I should have never told you."

"Well it does explain why you said no to Jake, but seriously, that boy is fine. Maybe you should reconsider. There is that field party coming up. I know you have the night off, so don't even try to get out of it."

"My dad is never going to let me go to that. You don't understand."

"I understand you cop out of over half the school functions, you never go to anything after school. You have to stand up to him."

"To my dad? Yeah, okay," Indiana's voice was sarcastic to an extreme. "I can see that going well. Dad is overprotective."

"Tell him you're coming over to tutor me in algebra. God knows I need it."

"That would be lying."

"Oh and you would never do that. Didn't your dad do prison time?"

Indiana's answer was muttered and Happy could hardly hear the 'yeah.'

"And he'll lecture you on lying? Name one time you've been a rebellious teenager." There was a long silence. "See!" Emily's voice was triumphant. "You are a teenager, if there is ever a time to do something reckless or stupid it's now!"

"I snuck off to Tacoma once when I first got my learners permit," Indiana said. "I did my rebellious and stupid and my Dad had Mac, who'd been following me, bring me back."

"Well you're smart, so be rebellious and smart- don't get followed, and we'll meet at my place, it'll look legit." Indiana didn't respond. "Hey, why the heck would you want to go to Tacoma, I thought you didn't like Tacoma."

"Um... there is a bakery."

"Bakery, huh?"

"Yeah."

"You sure? I feel like there is something more you're not telling me, Indie," Emily taunted in sing-song.

"I'm totally sure."

"Stop blushing then," Emily giggled and had Indiana laughing with her. "Did you go to meet someone? And you didn't tell me!"

"It's so not even like that," Indiana responded. "It was... it was a friends birthday."

"And you stopped at the bakery?"

"For cake. Or a cupcake in this case."

"Did it end off with some icing?"

"Well there was icing on the... EM! OH MY GOD!"

The girls laughter was loud and Happy figured he'd heard more than enough he walked back a few steps and then forward kicking at the gravel and trying to make as much noise as possible before he turned the corner.

Indiana and Emily were apparently sunbathing out back in nothing but their little bikini's. Indiana's was black and lime green striped while Emily's was a dark blue with a cherry motif. Emily was a pretty young woman, lively but mischievous dark blue eyes, full glossy lips, a slightly upturned nose, shoulder length choppy dark brown hair with bangs that hung into her eyes. She looked like she'd be half a foot shorter than Indiana if they were to both be standing instead of laying on their backs, propped up on their elbows as they gossiped. There were patches of grass missing from the lot and both girls had some of it in their hair and stuck to their bikini's. Apparently their conversation had included throwing grass at each other.

"Uh, hey Hap," Indiana greeted and Emily bit her bottom lip.

"Hey." He pulled the brick from the wall and grabbed the keys.

He noticed her movement as she walked up beside him in bare feet, her toes painted a light blue. "Something wrong with your bike?"

"Yeah."

"Anything more than a one word answer?"

He unlocked the box and turned to her. He could tell her he had heard everything. Logic told him he should go to Quinn and tell him about the party, another part said it wasn't his place and a third was wondering who the hell this 'Jake' kid was. "You have grass in your hair," ended up being his response. She quickly tried to pull out strands of grass from her long dark blonde hair.

"Hi, I'm Emily," Indiana's friend came over and introduced herself.

"Happy," he responded settling a cold glare on the young woman. Last thing he would tolerate was some teenager starting in on him because of his name- Indiana's friend or not.

She smiled and her eyes shifted to Indiana who very swiftly kicked her friend in the shins. "We should probably put on a bit of sunblock," Indiana said. "I got some SPF 20."

"I was thinking more about baby oil," Emily responded. She mouthed something lost on Happy but apparently Indiana got it if the widening of the eyes and playful one-arm shove was any indication.

"Well... good luck with fixing the bike. Frankie was around earlier, he might be able to give you a hand."

"I can handle it."

"Alright," Indiana responded. "See you later." She grabbed Emily by the arm and started dragging her toward the side door, the two girls talking in quite voices but with animate hand gestures.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you were wondering, what Emily mouthed to Indiana was 'nice and slick.'


	26. Absinthe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Absinthe isn't quite birthday candles, but hell, this is Sons of Anarchy.

Happy's thirty second birthday was celebrated in Sanctuary. A couple of guys had driven up from Tacoma to be there. Parties at Sanctuary were always legendary despite the fact that the next morning everyone usually woke up with little to no memory of the night before and the place was always a mess... but they all figured that just showed how awesome the night had been.

He was already eight shots in and he was feeling the effects. There was a croweater under each of his arms, one of them was talking but he wasn't paying her any attention.

"Hey birthday boy," Indiana appeared before him. Right near his face too, and he knew what she was doing, checking his eyes to see how aware he was. She was a pretty good judge of how drunk someone was. "How you doing?"

"Good." It took a few extra seconds but he felt the one of the crow-eater's hand creep up his leg.

Indiana stood up straight again and he focussed on what she was wearing, probably because it was so out of her norm. He figured it was something that belonged to Brooklyn. The red sheath dress had her little silver name tag on the left strap. It ended a couple inches above her knees and hugged every curve she had. She was wearing black stockings that only drew more attention to her athletic, long legs. "Come on you," she held out her hand in offer. "You have to blow out the candles."

He raised an eyebrow. "Candles?"

"Okay, so it isn't a candle, just humour me," Indiana responded with a little laugh. "I've been practising this."

He reached out and grabbed her hand and she helped haul him out of his place between the two crow eaters. She didn't step back, just stared up at him, she had topped off about level with his shoulder, but in the little black kitten heels she was wearing she was nearly at his chin. Her cheeks were a little pink and he blamed it on the heat in Sanctuary.

She gave her head a little shake, her ponytail swishing with the move. "Come on," she dragged him a bit, keeping hold of his hand as they made their way through the crowd and up to the bar. "Move it," she ordered Angus giving his longish hair a tug.

"Moving," he responded to her and patted Happy on the arm before moving in on a crow eater that had caught his eye.

The door opened as Indiana got the stuff she needed. The cool air was welcome to those in the bar and prompted a few people to go out, it seemed half the bar needed air or a cigarette at the same time. The noise level died down a little as Indiana started taking out all the supplies she would need, she put absinthe on the bar and shot him a grin. "You know how to do one of these, yeah?"

"Huff the fumes, blow the flames, take the shot," Happy said knowing that responding with a 'yes' would only prompt her to question him further to ensure he really did know what he was talking about.

"Okay," Indiana said rubbing her hands together. She had out two rocks glasses, one ounce of sprite in one, and one ounce of absinthe. She grabbed the long lighter and set the absinthe on fire, the glass glowing blue. She waited a few seconds for the alcohol to heat up before pouring it in with the 7UP the flame following it into the glass. She turned the empty absinthe glass upside down and set it carefully on a napkin with a straw poking out. She gave him a great big smile. "Happy birthday, Hap."

"Thanks." He inhaled the vapours, blew out the blue flames and knocked back the shot. It packed quite the punch.

He smiled over at her but caught her eyes narrowing a few seconds before hands rested lightly on his shoulders before sliding down his chest. "Hey there, stranger."

He turned to look at the woman, he recognized her as a crow-eater from Tacoma. Her right arm was covered in ink, flowers and skulls. Her eyes were dark green, her flaxen hair fell around her shoulders. "Hey." For the life of him, he couldn't remember her name.

"Indie!" Tink's voice called. "Need a round at table four, and table seven wants tequila shots, six of them."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm on it," Indiana responded uncharacteristically irritable.

Happy might have thought more about it, but the woman's hands were pulling on his belt, her head nodding toward the back rooms, bedroom eyes and a wicked smile- and what the hell, it was his birthday.


	27. Hallowe'en

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Indiana calls Happy at two in the morning in a panic.

October turned out to be a windy month. Sand and litter swirled on sidewalks. Flags whipped this way and that. The wind came with a chill and the residents of Red Willow were starting to wear long sleeved shirts or sweaters, jeans instead of shorts, some were even wearing scarves and the a few of the more elderly walkers were even wearing mittens.

Jack-o-lanterns were sitting proudly outside of peoples homes, and at four in the afternoon were not yet lit. There were skeleton arms poking out of the ground, ghosts and witches in trees, scarecrows sitting in lawn chairs and at one place there was a creepy animatronic girl swinging with her eyes glowing red.

He drove through Red Willow on the return trip from a gun run. Delivery had gone well, he'd been with Dax, Frankie, Angus and Go-Go, but only Dax and Angus were still with him. Frankie was going to a Hallowe'en party in Tucson- apparently all the crow-eaters were dressing up. Go-Go was off to Las Vegas for a weekend that likely would consist of gambling and hookers.

Sanctuary had changed while they'd been gone. It was done up festively. The usually white bulbs that spelled out Sanctuary had been changed to orange. There were jack-o-lanterns scattered around, all glowing from a lit white votive inside. Happy crouch down in front of one. It had been carved out in a grotesque face, pumpkin guts and seeds spilling from it's mouth looking like it was vomiting. He smiled and stood back up following Dax and Angus into the bar.

He spotted Indiana first, she was putting on her backpack that was busting at the seams, the zipper threatening to give way.

"Where are you headed?" Quinn asked.

"To Emily's," Indiana replied adjusting the strap of her backpack once it was over both shoulders. "She needs some help figuring out algebraic equations, we have mid-terms next week."

Quinn gave a nod to the guys and took the envelope from Dax to quickly take a look at the cash and the little note left by the client. "So you're going over to study on Hallowe'en?" Quinn asked with a raised eyebrow clearly not believing her as he continued counting silently.

"Well... I'm sleeping over... after we finish equation we're going to watch Texas Chainsaw Massacre- the nineteen seventy four version, you know, the original," she kicked her combat clad boot into the hardwood floor twice, a grin growing on her face as she continued to fiddle with the straps on her back pack. "Maybe you saw it in theatres."

"Watch it," Quinn replied with a grin.

Satisfied with the contents of the envelope he handed it over to Herbert who'd been sitting at the bar having a beer and quiet conversation with Tink.

Happy thought the entire thing sounded familiar. He recalled the conversation he'd overheard between Indiana and Emily a month and a half before. The excuse Emily had suggested was algebra, but Indiana hadn't agreed to it... then again she hadn't really said no. It had just been dropped and moved on from.

"Do you have your cell?" Quinn asked his daughter.

"Yep."

"Are Emily's parents going to be home?"

"Her mom is. Her dad... I don't know. He's not around much, he works a lot."

"When are you going to be back?" Tink asked sliding her hand into the back pocket of Quinn's jeans.

"Uh, sometime tomorrow. We'll probably stay up real late watching scary movies, so I'll sleep late... my cell will be on though, promise. Can I go, or are you two going to keep on giving me the third degree?"

"Come here," Quinn grabbed her arm pulled her in for a tight hug that had her giggling and she planted a kiss on his cheek leaving behind a faint pink mark.

"Love you, Daddy!"

"Love you too."

"Have fun, sweetheart," Tink said hugging her step-daughter.

"I will, see you guys tomorrow. Happy Hallowe'en guys!"

There were a few muttered goodbyes and some lazy hand waves. Happy watched her walk out the door unsure as to if she was lying or telling the truth. He had half the mind to tail her but Quinn called church about the note in the envelope and his mind switched gears back to business.

::

His phone rang at two in the morning and it pulled him from his slumber. He cursed, kicked at the sheet that had somehow tangled around his leg and reached over the side of the bed for his discarded jeans, fumbled till he got hold of the prepaid in the pocket and pulled it out. He didn't bother looking at the number, he just flipped it open and put it to his hear. "What?"

"Promise you won't tell my dad."

It took about ten seconds from the sleep to fade from his brain and he sat up at jarring speed. "Indie?" Her voice had been tense, controlled. He could hear music and chatter in the background.

"If you tell my dad then he'll ground me for life, can you just... promise you won't tell him."

"Whatever. Where are you? Are you hurt?"

"I'm okay," she said. "I'm at a party, I can't... I can't find Emily. I was talking to... someone and she went off to mingle and that was two hours ago and I've looked all over and I've asked everyone but... I've called her phone like seventeen times and I've left like twelve messages and she hasn't called me back. Hap, I'm worried. What do I do?"

"Where are you?"

"A party. You know the field over by Tucker's corner?"

He rubbed his eyes as he got out of bed. Of course he knew Tucker's corner, it was a four way that was notorious for accidents. "Yeah, I know it," Happy responded flicking on the light and grabbing the pair of jeans he'd discarded the night before in his haste. "Where did you park your car."

"It's parked in the lot that use to have that farmers market."

"Go to your car, wait for me there."

"You aren't going to tell Dad, right?"

"Indiana," his tone was tight and angry. "Get in your car, now." He hung up and pulled down a clean white shirt from his closet, pulled it over his head and turned around. He found his knife on the side table, gun was under his pillow. He checked the clip out of habit before he tucked it into the back of his pants. He looked at the grey hoodie that was tossed over the end of the bed, and his kutte that was hung on the back of a chair. Best to go in under the radar. He didn't need it somehow getting back around to Quinn that a patched brother had been at that party, hell the motorcycle could potentially do that on its own.

He grabbed the hoodie pulled it over his head and found his keys in the pocket of his kutte. The light was on in the hallway of Sanctuary and he followed it into the backroom and out the side door and cursed under his breath the entire chilly walk to his bike.

::

Happy parked in front of the blue car that Indiana drove. She was sitting on the hood. Or he assumed she was the one sitting on the hood. She was dressed up as a fairy. The dress was a sparkly green and very, very short. Modesty was kept with a pair of shimmery gold leggings that should have been banned past the seventies. Her hair was curled and teased into a wild mess, half her face, from her eyebrows to just below her nose, was covered by a green and gold masquerade mask but her big blue eyes were recognizable through the holes.

He cut the engine and she slid off the front of the car, her combat boots that apparently had been non-negotiable with the costume hit the ground and she was steady as she stood. She had wings on her back, wire and some sheer white material that was dusted with gold glitter. "Happy," she had her arms around him in a second and the anger that had been welling the entire drive over dissipated, his arms went around her and held her tightly.

"You whole?" He felt her nod before she stepped back. "Have you been drinking?"

"Of course not, I'm driving," she sounded a little offended that he would even ask. "I can't find Emily," she explained. "I think that maybe she wandered into the woods, she probably started drinking and got turned around... I don't really want to go in alone."

"I thought you were with someone," he said cooly wondering who the hell would just leave Indiana alone to search for her friend or come back to her car.

"I... I was. Now I'm looking for Em, can we focus?" Her hands were on her hips.

"How can you even look for her with that mask on?" He guessed most of her peripheral vision was obscured by the mask.

"Em knotted the thing. Can't get it off."

"Can't you just pull it over your head."

She tapped her nose. "Nope."

Instead of asking, he just grabbed her arm, turned her around and tried to find the ties through the wild mass of blonde hair that had the scent of the woods clinging to it, he could also smell the sandalwood mixed with something slightly floral and he pegged it as perfume but there was something else he couldn't put a name to. He worked the knot out and took the mask from her face tossing it on the car hood.

"Where did you see her last?"

"I'll show you."

::

It was dark, there were a few barrel fires around that kept the field lit. To the south, there were another three fields split by lines of trees. To the north though was thick woods that loggers had yet to take advantage of. That was where Indiana suspected Emily had gone.

"Maybe she went home with someone," Happy said as he pulled out a cigarette and lit it, it burned brightly as he sucked the smoke in. He wished at that point he wished he'd remembered to bring batteries for the flashlight he kept in the saddlebag of his bike.

"No," Indiana shook her head. "We... we snuck out of her place. Her mom doesn't know. We left the window open so we could get back in easy... only works if we both go back though."

"You lied to your dad."

"Yeah," she said quietly. The light of the fires gave them some light to go by, the full moon helped a bit, but the canopy of the leaves took much of the light. They were pretty much stumbling around in the dark. "I didn't want to, but if I told dad I was going to a field party he'd have a fit and lock me in my room."

"Maybe he should have."

She gave an agitated sigh in return and stayed quiet for a few minutes. "I'm old enough to go to a-" she gasped, turned quickly and backed right into his side and he felt her go rigid. "Did you hear that?" she whispered.

"Hear what?"

"Like..." she was quiet apparently listening for the sound that spooked her but all Happy could hear was the music, laughter of drunk teenagers, and the chant of 'chug, chug, chug.' She wrapped an arm around his and he could feel the pricks of the sparkles on her dress. "I guess it was nothing... do you think there are bears in these woods?"

"Probably." He honestly didn't know, but after all he'd put her through this morning, he figured he could get a little bit of payback.

She tightened her grip on his arm and stayed pressed to his side. "Emily!" She said loudly and looked around as if she'd suddenly get night vision. Fact was they couldn't see much. "Em!"

He turned upon hearing something, but it wasn't that 'oh God is it a bear' something. "Over here."

"Did you hear her respond?"

"No, I hear someone puking," he replied. He started walking in the direction of the sound and Indiana stuck close to him. She let out a squeak sound and he felt her get off balance but held tight to him and got her footing. "You good?"

"Uh-huh, tree root," she explained.

He spotted a small, curled up figure and he picked out his lighter and flicked it. It sparked but didn't light. Apparently batteries weren't the only thing he needed. He flicked the lighter a few more times before it finally caught and they got closer.

"Emily," Indiana said her name on an exhale of relief. She walked a few steps away from Happy and crouched down beside her friend, in the pale light Happy could see Indiana's nose wrinkle. "Hey, what are you doing out here?"

"I...I... gosh, your hair," Emily smiled and laughed. The young woman was dressed up as a bumblebee in a yellow and black striped one piece swimsuit, black leggings, black flats, antennae on a headband. "I love you."

Indiana smiled just before Happy's lighter flickered out in a gust of wind. He tried to relight it but didn't succeed. "Love you too, Em. How are you feeling."

"I drinked too much. I'm done."

"Yeah, no kidding," Indiana responded softly. "Come on." She took her friend by the hand and hauled her to her feet.

"Wait," Emily said. She turned, vomited against a tree and then turned back. "I'm good. Lets party!" She said loudly with her hands up in the air.

"No, no more partying. We have to go home."

"No way. You were talkin' to Jaaaaake, how is that going?"

"Fine. Can we go."

"Hey," Emily stepped forward, went to poke Happy in the chest by Indiana quickly grabbed her arm and put it back down at her side. "You look familiar."

"It's dark," Indiana said quickly. "In this light we all look like shadows, come on, lets go to the car. It's nice and warm there, you're freezing."

"You're Grumpy," Emily laughed. "No, no, that isn't it. It's another one of the seven dwarfs, I know it."

"Em, cut it out," Indiana snapped. "We have to get back to your place. Now. I had to call Happy to help find your drunk ass. You just couldn't stay in the field. 'It'll all be fine,' you said. You're so drunk there is no way your mom isn't going to notice tomorrow morning!"

"Mom doesn't notice shit," Emily snapped back. "I'll go home with someone else. I'll be fine. Go home if you don't want to have a good time. You need to get laid, maybe then you'd stop being such a bitch."

Indiana let out a frustrated groan. "Em, come on, I'm not leaving you vomiting in the woods."

"I'm not done. Did you see Austin?"

"Back at the party? Yeah, he was with Jake."

Emily giggled and leaned against Indiana who took the other girls weight. "So you noticed who Jake was talking to!"

Happy stared at Indiana, mostly she was just a distinct outline in the ill light. "We're going. Now."

"Okay," Indiana replied quickly. "Come on, Em, please."

Emily just leaned against Indiana. "You smell nice."

"Uh... thanks."

"Actually... you smell a little like Ja- ow!"

"Sorry, I tripped," Indiana's voice was cool and monotonous.

The cut off tactic didn't really work. Happy could put two and two together. He lead them out of the woods right out to the road instead of back through the field so it would be shorter and less likely Emily would start giving them trouble about wanting to stay.

He waited until Emily was buckled in the front seat and Indiana shut the passenger door with a huff of breath. She walked over to where he was leaning against his motorcycle. She took a breath, let it out and then bit her bottom lip. He studied her as he waited. The dress was like a second skin, sexy as hell, the leggings would have looked awful and out of place on anyone else, but on her it wasn't too far out of the norm.

"Hap?" Her voice brought him from his thoughts. He gave his head a mental shake, that was not a place his thoughts belonged. "Thank you."

"I didn't do much."

"I needed you, and you came."

"Next time you go to some party, make sure you keep a better eye on her alcohol intake."

"Yeah, no kidding," she laughed a little nervously. "I'll see you soon."

He nodded and grabbed his helmet while she walked to the drivers side. He waited until the car pulled out and he followed them back to Emily's parents place where Indiana parked half a block down- he suspected where she'd parked earlier in the afternoon. He waited on the side of the street till the girls were at the side window. Indiana got Emily inside, and turned as if sensing he was still watching she gave a little wave before she hauled herself head first through the window.

He shook his head and gunned the engine through the suburban streets trying to erase the night from his memory.


	28. Raid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ATF come to raid Sanctuary.

Happy was sitting on the picnic table outside of Sanctuary halfway through smoking a cigarette. It was a little chilly out and he rubbed his bare arms before plucking the cigarette and tapping it before he got ashes on his jeans. He pulled his kutte closer but it did little to keep him warm. It was early November and on his earlier drive through Red Willow he'd spotted people out decorating for Christmas.

No one else was outside, there were a few bikes parked, Brooklyn's run down red Sunfire, Indiana's little blue sedan and Tink's Lincoln were in the lot. He'd seen Brooklyn and Tink both inside, but Indiana hadn't been around when he'd come in.

He took the last drag of his cigarette when he spotted her jogging into the lot. The black leggings were skin tight as was the white long sleeved shirt, her running shoes were sky blue, tied with black laces. Her straight blonde hair was up in a ponytail and it swayed back and forth as she came over and pulled the bud headphones out of her ears.

"Hey Hap," she was practically panting for breath, her face flushed, her hands on her hips, and he'd be damned but he found it sexy.

He stubbed out the cigarette on the picnic table before flicking it away. "Hey."

She looked to the Sanctuary doors and then back to Happy. "Thanks again... for the other night, and for not telling my dad."

"That still might come and bite me in the ass," he muttered.

"It shouldn't. Em doesn't even remember you being there. She was puking all that night and into the morning. Told her mom she must have picked up a bug that was going around the school," Indiana pressed the stop button on her music player before she climbed up on the table and sat down next to Happy, her feet bouncing on the bench seat. "Anything going on inside?"

"Not much," he responded. "Quinn and Tink are doing orders. Some of the guys were stupid enough to play Cricket in poker, so they're losing money."

She laughed. "They should know better." She reached over and grabbed his arm and pulled it closer to get a look at his watch. "Shoot," she muttered.

"What?"

"I... uh, I got to meet someone in an hour."

He raised an eyebrow but she ignored it as she jumped off the table.

"I'll see you later, yeah?"

He gave a shrug but she started walking off to the side entrance of Sanctuary. The cold was once again at the forefront of his mind and he headed in the front door himself.

::

The stakes at the poker table were a little high for him since Cricket wasn't done skinning Frankie, Go-Go, Herbert or Mac. Frankie was cursing colourfully as Cricket pulled in another round of his winnings. Brooklyn was washing dishes behind the bar and he hit the counter top to gain her attention. She looked over at him through her cool brown eyes that were darkly lined, her dark tresses framed her beautiful face. "What?"

"Beer."

She rolled her eyes as she rinsed the suds off her hands. She grabbed a towel and dried them off.

"Quinn and Tink still ordering?"

"Yeah, ordering," Brooklyn responded with a shake of her head as she pulled a beer at random and put it in front of him.

The doors to church opened and Dax came out. His longish hair was pulled back in a ponytail. His dark eyes were hard and angry. "We've got cops coming!"

"Shit," Herbert said getting up.

Happy turned to Brooklyn. "Where's Indiana?"

"Isn't she still out jogging?" He quickly shook his head. "Then she's probably in Dad and Tink's dorm room using the adjoining shower."

Before anyone could do much of anything officers were coming through the doors yelling orders. Happy ground his teeth. He was an ex-felon, carrying concealed- without a permit, and his weapon was unregistered. Shit.

He along with his other brothers were all ordered down to their stomachs. Laying facing them was Brooklyn who'd been taken from behind the bar. Her eyes were wide and fearful, and Happy noticed the way they went to Dax.

They weren't just cops either. "ATF?" Harry muttered. Happy hadn't even noticed the Sargent at arms before the feds had come in. "What th-"

"Stop talking!" one of the male feds barked and Harry shot the man a dirty look.

Quinn and Tink were pushed into the room next and forced down in the same manner. A second later Indiana was walked in and upon seeing her state he was moving to get up but another agent quickly stepped between his shoulder blades and pushed him back down. "Keep on the ground," the agent barked.

Indiana had tears in her big blue eyes. She had a black sports bra on, little black shorts but that was it. She was barefoot and looked to be trying to cover herself up as much as possible as the female agent pushed her forward and to her stomach as well, between Harry and Mac. Her hair was soaked and it nearly seemed brown instead of blonde.

"You okay?" Mac asked her.

She nodded but the affirmative wasn't convincing. Her glossy eyes went around as if making sure everyone was still there and okay. They locked with Happy for a minute and then she turned to Harry. "What's going on?" she whispered.

What was going on was a raid. Some agent had gotten a big head. Quinn was watching the man in charge and Happy recognized the ATF agent and rolled his eyes. Fact was Quinn didn't allow any of the Son's weapons to be stored on Sanctuary property, the bar/motel business was clean. He didn't even launder money through it. The place was something he wanted his wife and children to have to fall back on incase he was ever incarcerated for a long amount of time. He wanted Sanctuary to be... well a sanctuary.

"Don't you worry, sweetheart," Harry responded softly and it seemed remarkably out of character.

Happy listened as bottles were smashed- as if there would actually be weapons or drugs inside. Tables were toppled. The church was violated by the mere presence of ATF. The backrooms were searched, surely the motel rooms as well.

"You're going to be reimbursing me for this," Quinn said easily to the ATF agent in charge, as if he wasn't lying face down on the ground and potentially facing weapons charges. "There is nothing to find here."

One of the agents lifted the gun from the back of Cricket's jeans. "It's registered."

There was the thing. Most of the guys carried, and they carried unregistered weapons and they were all sweating it. Except Quinn, Quinn didn't carry in Sanctuary.

"There is a sawed off under the bar," one of the agents announced.

"Security system, Mr Quinn?"

Tink looked over worriedly at her husband.

"It's mine," Quinn muttered. He had it there for the girls, but if someone was going to take the fall for the modified weapon it would be him.

Quinn wasn't the only one being put into cuffs. Happy, Angus, Harry, and Dax were all carrying unregistered weapons. Quinn and Dax were both in violation of their paroles.

"Call Wilson," Quinn said to Tink as one of the ATF agents hauled him up.

Tink nodded, she had been an Old Lady long enough to know just what to do when one of the boys got arrested. She'd call Jack Wilson, the lawyer for the Nomads the second the ATF was gone.

As Happy was hauled to his feet his eyes went to Indiana, he was glad her eyes were staring at him otherwise his might have wandered. The anger about the agent dragging her out like that was still lingering. Apart from the swimsuit when she and Emily had been sunbathing, he'd never seen her in so little. A tear fell from her eye and she quickly looked down, her wet hair falling like a curtain to hide her emotions.

"Move it," one of the agents shouted as he shoved Happy toward the door.

"It won't stick," Harry was saying being pushed out, cuffed behind him. "Wilson will have us out by tomorrow morning."


	29. Drive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Indiana maneuvers Happy into shopping for mother's day gifts with her. She gets to meet Happy's mother, Carina.

Happy watched the basketball game from the picnic table as he smoked a cigarette he'd won at an earlier poker game between inmates.

"Got another?" Harry asked, sitting down beside him.

Happy pulled his last one from his pocket and handed it over.

"Thanks." Harry lit up, took a long drag and blew out a line of smoke.

"Any word?"

"Just talked to Quinn. Wilson says that the ATF had someone make claim that Sanctuary was storing guns, considering members of the Sons have been convicted ATF made their play."

"Someone," Happy said dryly.

"Yeah, I think it was that gash too."

"So what happens now?"

"We await trial," Harry responded taking another drag as he watched some of the other incarcerated brothers playing basketball, Angus was rather good at it. "Quinn and Dax are both in hot water over their parole violations, Wilson is working on a better defence for them. Our weapons charges can bring up to a year."

"Yeah," Happy replied. "I know."

"ATF didn't find shit in Sanctuary. We're off on those counts. ATF looks incompetent for the raid. I'm betting that shithead agent thought it was going to be the bust of his career," Harry sneered and shook his head. "And that fucking chica pullin' Indie out."

Happy turned his head upon hearing Harry's teeth grinding together. "Never heard you so defensive about anyone."

Harry took a quick angry drag off the cigarette and flicked the ashes. "Got a responsibility to Quinn's girls. Godfather of all three."

Happy gave a nod and the two men fell into silence. Neither wanted to spend the next year in prison. Happy hoped Wilson came up with something.

::

With the ATF looking like incompetent imbeciles, their time had been dropped to six months served and that included Quinn and Dax. The guys were mighty pleased with themselves as they stepped out of the correctional facility and into the lot as free men. Their bikes were waiting, as were other brothers who hadn't been picked up in the raid and a few of the women.

Tink rushed to Quinn practically the second he was out the door and had jumped up, her arms around his neck and legs wrapped around his torso.

Brooklyn was leaning on the hood of one of the cars seeming awkward. She never went anywhere she didn't want to, but apparently now she wasn't as sure of herself as when she'd made the decision.

Indiana hugged Harry first as he'd been the closest. "You good, kid?"

"Better now that all you guys are out," she replied kissing him soundly on the cheek leaving a faint pink print behind.

Happy studied her as she walked to him. The top half of her hair was clipped back while the rest hung loose. She wasn't wearing much make-up, not that the girl needed to, just mascara and pink lipstick. Her shirt was a long sleeved v-neck in dark blue and it was paired with some distressed blue jeans. Frankly it was apple-pie normal and a little like stepping into the Twilight Zone. Her combat boots gave some sense of normalcy though.

"Hey," she said hugging him tightly around the middle, her head leaning against his shoulder.

"Hey," he replied wrapping his arms around her.

She stepped back and he pinched the hem of the shirt and raised an eyebrow. She laughed. "Brooke's hand-me-downs." Her eyes went to her sister who was hugging their father tightly. She turned back to him. "I'm glad you guys are out."

::

"Hap," Indiana whispered as she came up beside him she nodded her head toward the picnic table while the rest of the guys were heading into Sanctuary the two of them split off.

"Yeah?"

"Its May."

He stared at her. "Yeah. So?"

"Think about it..." she waited a second but it quickly became apparent that he wasn't not on the same page as she was. "It's mother's day. I have to go pick up something for Tink... figured maybe you'd want to pick up something, you usually go visit your mom in Bakersfield right?"

"You're nosey."

She smiled. "I'm a bartender, it's practically in the job description." Before he could argue she grabbed his hand. "Come on!"

::

Happy hated Indiana's cage. He hated her driving. He really didn't like the entire situation. There was some flower shaped air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror that filled the car with an over potent vanilla. She drove with one hand as she reached for the soda she'd gotten when they'd stopped at a drive-thru for lunch. The straw made a sound and she shook the cup but nothing but ice hitting against more ice. "Rip-off," she muttered shoving the cup back in the holder.

They'd already driven out of Sutter County where Red Willow was located. They were nearly through Sacramento and just about to the San Joaquin Valley where both Bakersfield and Charming were located.

"So... what are you thinking about getting your mom?" Indiana asked as she sped up to pass someone.

"Don't know," he replied honestly and grabbed dash when Indiana had to slam on the breaks. She honked and flipped off the driver in front of her before checking her mirrors and changing lanes.

"Well, what does she like? Does she collect things?" Indiana asked keeping her eyes on the road and easing back in her seat now that traffic seemed to have evened out. "Tink has a butterfly collection. You know those preserved ones in the frames? I've gotten her one every year since I was a kid."

Happy thought about it. "No." She didn't collect anything, the house was free of knick-knacks it was barren but for the essentials and a few pretty vases usually filled with fresh flowers. "She likes her garden."

Indiana smiled. "You could get her a gnome!"

He shook his head.

::

Indiana stopped first at the store that she always got the butterflies at. When she was younger her father would take her and they would pick one out together.

Now they walked around a wonderful nursery. There were flowers and plants everywhere. The air was pleasantly fragrant. Happy walked around wondering what the hell he should get his mother, and what exactly would grow well in the area. "Why don't you just ask," Indiana replied unable to make heads or tails of the tag that was written in Dutch.

Happy was wearing his kutte. All the workers were actively avoiding them. Indiana just rolled her eyes and walked away to hunt down an employee. She brought back a pimply faced kid who stopped in his tracks when he spotted Happy. Indiana simply looped an arm around his and continued to drag him forward. "We're looking for something that will be hearty, really good for right here in Bakersfield, surely since you work here you could give us a hand."

"Um...ah... daylilies," his voice went up an octave and he turned to only look at Indiana who gave him a friendly smile.

"Lilies, I love lilies," she told him.

"They are... they're... um easy to care for... they do well even when it's a dry summer."

"That's lovely. Where are they?"

"Aisle... fifteen," the boy pointed. "They... they um... are currently in stock with yellow, orange and... pink."

"Great, thanks," Indiana replied letting he kid go and walking toward aisle fifteen. "Sound good, Hap?"

"Sure," he replied and then just for shits and giggles he turned and glared at the kid who looked about ready to piss himself and quickly ducked into one of the aisles.

Happy was unsure as to which colour to get so he got a bag of bulbs for all three. Indiana came around the corner with a bearded gnome dressed in blue holding a lantern.

"I thought you already got something for Tink."

"I'm getting it for your mom," she clicked the bottom and the lantern lit up. "Cute huh?"

"You don't need to do that," he said as they headed toward check out.

Indiana turned the light off. "I want to." She bounced a little in place as they waited in line, endless excited energy.

::

Happy gave Indiana directions to the white house with teal shutters in Bakersfield and she parked out front. The pink and purple flowers were still happily taking in the sun.

"Did you grow up here?" she questioned.

"Yeah," he replied getting out of the car and grabbing the gift bag from the back that had been Indiana's doing. She'd stopped at a dollar store, put the bulbs in the shiny blue bag and topped it up with lots of tissue paper. He figured he looked fucking ridiculous carrying the thing. Indiana took the smaller pink bag with the little light-up gnome. He stepped up on the porch and knocked twice before entering before his mother could answer.

The door lead into the back of the kitchen and he kicked off his boots. Indiana bent down to untie hers and yank impatiently at the laces so she could get her feet out. Her socks were lime green, he smiled.

The noise of the television stopped and a moment later his mother came into the kitchen. "Happy!" she smiled excitedly. "Oh it's so good to see you!" She was dressed in a powder blue dress that went below her knees. Her mostly dark hair was curled nicely, the streaks of silver were one of the few indications of her true age.

She embraced him tightly and he smiled. "Happy mother's day, Ma."

"I've missed you, my boy," she replied and pulled back and turned to look at Indiana.

Indiana gave a shy wave. "Hi."

"Who might you be?" Carina asked but addressed the question to Happy with a smile and a raised eyebrow.

"She's Indiana. Indie, this is my mother, Carina."

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs Lowman."

"Please, just call me Carina." Indiana smiled and gave a little nod. "I was just about to put dinner in, you'll both be staying." It wasn't a question, it was an order, one Happy wasn't going to argue about. He loved his mother's cooking.

"Here," he said putting the bag in her hand.

"Oh, thank you," she took it over to the dinner table and smiled at the bag and tissue papers before looking at Indiana. "I'm guessing this was you."

"No, no, Hap's a regular Martha Stewart." The comment had both women laughing and Happy searching for a beer in the fridge, which he came up empty handed.

"Daylily bulbs," Carina said dreamily. "I just love lilies." She pulled Happy down and kissed both cheeks. "Thank you, my son."

He said nothing but sat down at the kitchen table. Indiana gave Carina the little pink bag. "You didn't have to do that, dear."

Indiana shrugged. "Go ahead, open it."

Carina did, adding the tissue paper to the pile on the table. She smiled taking the gnome out. "How sweet, thank you Indiana."

"You're welcome," she replied hitting the button underneath and the little lantern the gnome was holding lit up. The gnome was set on the table with the bulbs while Carina put all the tissue and the little bag into the bigger one. "Excuse me, where is the washroom?"

"Down the hall, to the left," Carina pointed and Indiana left the room. Carina quickly turned to her son and smacked him on the back of the head. "Why didn't you tell me you had a girlfriend?"

He glared at her. "I don't." Carina pointed to the hallway and her eyes glared at him from over her glasses. Happy sighed. "She's Quinn's daughter."

"Quinn... I've heard the name."

"He's the charter president," Happy supplied and Carina nodded. "Indiana had to pick up something for her step-mother and figured I'd need a push to get you something good."

"She's sweet, looks a little young though."

He couldn't argue, she was a sweet girl, empathetic, loyal. He couldn't recall how old she was. Young in any case. Had she had her birthday while he was inside? He couldn't quite remember when it was and felt guilty, she always remembered his.

"If not her, then do you have a girlfriend?"

Happy closed his eyes, it was going to be a long afternoon.

::

Indiana offered to help Carina with the dishes but was immediately shut down. "I'll do them up when you two leave. It's nice to have visitors, no point wasting our time with chores," Carina responded leading them into the living room.

The walls were painted a calming light blue, the two person sofa was an earthy brown and looked comfortable if not a little worn out. There was an old chair that matched and Carina took it, leaving the sofa for Happy and Indiana.

Happy still felt uncomfortable in the room, even after all the years that had passed. In the middle of the room was a coffee table, it wasn't the same one, but it sat nearly in the same place as the old one that Happy had slammed his step-father, Steven Porter's, head into. He moved past it and sat down in the last spot beside Indiana.

"Your garden is really wonderful, so bright and cheery," Indiana said.

"Thank you," Carina replied and explained all kinds of things about planting, watering and sunlight that Happy didn't really pay attention to. "Are you still in school?"

"Yes."

"Any plans? Work? Further education?"

Happy started paying attention and turned to Indiana who was chewing on her bottom lip. As if sensing he was watching, she turned to face him looking even more apprehensive. She turned to Carina. "Further education. Already sent out the applications for a few universities. Should hear back soon."

"How exciting, what are you interested in."

"I'm... uh... I'm good at math."

Good was an understatement, Quinn boasted that his daughter was a mathematician and Happy had seen her homework on occasion, she'd whip through a page long question that was half letters. Indiana was smart, and she'd always worked hard in her studies. Really further education shouldn't have come as a surprise to him, but it did, she'd surely have to leave Red Willow... and he figured it wasn't a conversation she'd had with her father yet.

"Good," he said dryly. "Quinn told me that you once corrected his accountant."

Indiana grinned sheepishly and shrugged.

"Smart girl," Carina sounded impressed. "I bet you could make a good living with that kind of smarts."

Indiana shrugged a bit and rubbed her arm. "I guess." She looked from Carina to Happy, then back again. "He really takes after you."

Happy knew there were resemblances between he and his mother. If he hadn't cut his hair off he knew it was the same colour. Their eyes had the same set, same colour, they had the same complection, that was about the end of their similarities.

"More so when he was younger," Carina said. "Cutest kid." She looked around the room and then got up. "I know I have the photo album around here somewhere..."

"Ma," Happy's voice was low and bordered on angry. "No."

Carina ignored her son and pulled the album down. She flipped to the first page, smiled and walked over to sit on the arm of the sofa by Indiana and offered her he book. Indiana took it in both hands and put it in her lap.

Happy shook his head and looked away. If there was one person he would never fight with, it was his mother.

"Aww," Indiana cooed and elbowed him in the side. "You were so cute, Hap!"

He rubbed his temples, it was going to be a really, really long night.

He heard the page turn. "Who's this?" Indiana asked and pointed and Happy out of curiosity turned to see. The picture was old, faded and black and white. It was a picture of his father in jeans and a work shirt, in his arms was the two year old Happy with wild dark hair sticking up at odd angles and a big smile on his youthful face.

"That would be Manuel," Carina's voice was soft and a little sad. "Happy's father."

Indiana had a serious expression, she nodded and said nothing.

"Drive-by," Happy told her knowing what she was trying to avoid asking or bringing up in any way, shape or form. "Wrong place, wrong time."

"I'm sorry," she said softly.

"When it's your time, it's your time," Carina said wisely. "And in that time he gave me a beautiful baby boy, a nice home, and more love packed into our six years together than some have in a lifetime. One must never regret love."

Indiana smiled. "That is a truly really beautiful philosophy, Carina." She flipped the page and laughed out loud.

Happy turned to see what it was. Sure enough, bath time pictures of him sitting in the tub, bubbles up to his bellybutton and suds in his hair. He grabbed the album shut it and stood to put it up on the very top of the bookshelf where his mother couldn't reach without the assistance of a footstool. "That's enough." Indiana was wiping tears from her eyes because she was laughing so hard and Happy glared at her.

"Sorry, Hap," she said trying to catch her breath. "I just... I didn't expect the resident badass to have such adorable baby pictures."

He continued to glare at her and then caught look at the clock. "We should get driving back or you won't be able to give Tink her gift."

Indiana turned to the clock and jumped up. "Holy crap!" She looked at Carina and bit her bottom lip. "Sorry. I mean... we should be going. Thank you for dinner."

"You're welcome," Carina responded as she walked them to the door and waited as they both got their boots back on. "It was nice to meet you, Indiana."

Indiana hugged Carina warmly. "Nice to meet you too."

The young woman stepped back and Happy hugged his mother. "I love you, my son."

"Love you too, Ma."

She kissed him on both cheeks before letting him go. "Drive safe."

"I will," Indiana insisted taking her keys out only to have them snatched by Happy.

"I'll drive."

"It's my car!"

"You can't drive."

"I can so!" She replied indignantly, but did little to try and get her keys back.


	30. Aeon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time passes. Things change.

In June the bar got audited, and Quinn suspected why. In July one of the trucks they were protecting was ambushed, three guys from Tacoma as well as both Herbert and Quinn were marginally injured. In August Harry was shot in the arm while driving. Everyone was edgy and on high alert.

In early September Happy found Indiana around back sitting with her back against the wall and staring out at the woods behind Sanctuary. Her hair was down and getting blown around a bit in the wind. Her nails were painted fuschia and clashed with her bright oversized yellow beater, her jeans bootlegged and covered most of her combat boots.

"Hey," he said and she looked over at him, gave him the most fleeting of smiles before she looked back to the trees. "You okay?"

"Do you know when my birthday is?"

"No," he admitted seeing no point in guessing and being foolishly wrong.

"July twenty second."

He stared puzzled, that had been months ago. "You didn't say anything."

"Emily was the only one who remembered. My own father forgot, Tink too."

"You're upset."

She turned to look at him and sighed. "Not really, I mean, I get it. I do..." Happy walked over and sat down on the ground beside her. "I graduated a few days after that." They were sitting close enough that he felt her shrug. "I didn't even bother going. I got my diploma in the mail late July. Didn't bother going to prom either. Dressing up and partying didn't seem appropriate considering everything that is going on with the club."

"Where are you going with this?" he asked. "Growing a little club hate?"

"That would be too easy. To just... resent it all, but I can't. It's been by entire life... my family and I can't resent it, or regret it."

"So?"

Indiana picked up a folder that she'd been half sitting on to keep the sheets from escaping, and passed it to him. He opened it and inside were sheets of paper with various university logos. He flipped through them. Five universities, five acceptance letters. He found his mouth had gone dry and he looked over at her. "Congratulations," he said softly.

"I declined them."

"What?" He remembered her talking about school with his mother. "Why? I thought this is what you wanted."

"I need to know that I can stand on my own, Hap. Away from the club..."

He didn't really like the idea of her unprotected, away from the club. "But," he pried.

"But I can't leave, not yet, not with everything that is going on. I can't do that to Dad. With everything going on it's been mostly Tink and I doing the ordering, she and Brooke couldn't keep up with the weekenders without me."

"They could always hire another waitress."

"Nice to see you think I'm so easily replaceable," she said a little bitterly.

He put an arm over her shoulder. "Replaceable?" he pulled her closer. "You're one of a kind."

She smiled and rested her head against him. "I'll just re-apply next year, go then. One year isn't going to make that much of a difference, not for my education or career, but my leaving now would hurt Dad and ultimately the club and I just..." she shook her head. "I can't do that."

Somehow... he knew that. Her loyalty would never let her leave... at least, not for long.

::

Happy didn't mind that his birthday went without a mention from his brothers. He would have forgotten about it himself if his mother hadn't called him at seven o'clock sharp to wish him a happy birthday.

Later that afternoon Indiana had come up to him while he'd been sitting outside smoking the last of his cigarettes. She was in a little black dress that he swore he'd seen Tink in before, her silver name tag pinned to the left side and she walked like she was in a hurry. Likely her shift was about to start. From behind her back she produced a little white box, she put it in his lap, kissed his cheek and continued on her way.

He opened the box. Red velvet cupcake, black smiley face. He smiled.

::

In October the Nomads were running on Sanctuary money. Brothers were too loyal to patch elsewhere despite the personal debts they were all taking.

In November, Quinn snapped. "I'm going to kill the bitch."

"She's in prison. You can't get to her," Harry said rationally lighting up a joint inside of church where all the guys were crowded around the table.

"We've got to have someone inside," Quinn replied.

"It's a women's prison," Frankie responded. "If we do have someone inside, it's likely that they're there because they spread their legs not because they've got the chops to spread some mayhem."

"We need to find out her contacts then," Cricket said. "These attacks can not go unanswered."

"Might be problematic," Harry said rubbing his arm where he'd been shot in an absentminded gesture.

"I'm sure as hell motivated enough to find them," Dax said a little heatedly.

"You don't need to look," Harry responded. "Finding them isn't really the problem. The contacts themselves are. She's a second cousin or somethin' to the Cacuzza family."

"Jesus," Angus said. "Mafia? She's got mob ties?"

Quinn sighed. "Yes."

Cricket laughed at Quinn. "You sure know how to pick 'em, shithead."

"We have to do something about this," Happy insisted and other brothers nodded in agreement.

Quinn looked over to Dax. "Get me a meeting with Isaac Cacuzza."

"Pres," Harry interrupted. "Last time you had a meeting with Isaac Cacuzza he tried to shoot you."

"Yeah, but he missed," Quinn replied. "And he's a good shot, I think it was a warning."

Harry shook his head.

::

Quinn took Harry, Happy and Cricket along with him to the meeting with Isaac Cacuzza and the men came to an agreement. Isaac didn't like that some of his guys had been attacking the Sons. For the most part the Cacuzza's and the Sons got along. Business was business and the fight between Isaac and Quinn had been about a botched shipment of Irish guns and it had been settled years ago. Isaac realized the need for the Nomads to be on good terms with the family and he said he'd deal with any of his men stepping out of line.

To make up for the injured members and the attack on the Sons truck, he also offered to take care of the Helena situation. Permanently.

"Isn't she some cousin of yours?" Harry asked standing near Quinn eyeing the guards around Isaac.

"Pussy just interfered with my business," Isaac gave a dismissive wave of his hand. "I don't tolerate that kind of shit."

Quinn sat their silently and Harry kicked him subtly. "Alright," Quinn replied. "Do it."

Isaac nodded and the Sons left.

"You alright?" Harry asked Quinn when they were out in the lot walking to their bikes.

"You can't be feeling sorry for that fucking gash, are you shithead?" Cricket asked.

"As much as I hate Helena," Quinn said mounting his motorcycle and grabbing his helmet. "She's still Brooke's mother."

Happy got on his bike as Quinn's rumbled to life. The rest of them were elated about getting rid of the Helena problem, and of course Quinn could only feel the guilt of being a part of the murder of the mother of his child.

::

December came with news that was better then any Christmas present. Helena had been shived while in prison. And apparently Isaac had really wanted to send a message considering his woman inside had left twenty seven stab wounds with a fucking toothbrush. When the guys found out most weren't sure whether to be impressed or disturbed. Happy was a little bit of both.

There had been a considerable amount of damage done to Nomad business though but now that they'd seen the problem through there were a lot of guys looking to patch elsewhere for a while. Frankie and Go-Go were both requesting to go to Washington. Greg the Peg was going up to Alberta since he had a cousin in the charter up there and apparently they had a few big money runs and needed more men. Harry had a few things to do in New York.

Happy needed money. Badly. His own needs and he always tried to help support his mother left him in a bad spot. Six months in prison followed by six of the least profitable out of prison months of his life left his accounts in the red. He had his release papers, and had called to Clay in Charming. He assured him there was a seat at the table and work that needed to be done.

He found Indiana at the far end of the parking lot with Mac playing a game of HORSE.

"No!" he heard Indiana laugh. "You have H-O-R-S. I have a H-O-R."

"You're a cheat," Mac responded. "You have H-O-R-S. I have H-O-R."

"You're so full of shit. Okay we both have H-O-R."

"You're a bad loser."

"Am not." She took the three point shot, the ball rolled around the rim and off the other side. "Damn it."

"Now you have H-O-R-S," Mac taunted. "Although, you should have just lost."

She rolled her big blue eyes and they came to rest on Happy. She grinned. "Hey Hap, you wanna play? We could start over."

"Because you're going to lose," Mac said with a big grin, Indiana responded by shooting him a playful glare.

"You got a minute, Indie?"

"Um, yeah, sure," she passed the ball over to Mac. "I'll be right back."

"I'll be here."

Indiana followed Happy across the lot and the came to stand by her car. She put her hands on the trunk and lifted herself up to sit on it. "What's up?"

"I'm... going to patch in Charming for a while."

"Oh," the smile fell off her face and a little pout replaced it. "Work?"

"Yeah. I need the cash."

Indiana nodded and bit her bottom lip. "Okay."

"I'll see you... sometime," he finished off lamely.

"It's weird. Everyone's leaving," she sounded so sad and she picked at some of her chipped blue nail polish. "Frankie and Go-Go left this morning. Brooklyn she took off to go see Mark- at least that's where I think she went... she wouldn't even talk to me when she left. Harry's leaving this afternoon... it's going to be quiet without all you guys around."

"It won't be forever."

"Yeah. I know. Have a safe ride."

He nodded. "See you around." If only to rid her of that lost expression he pulled her into a quick one arm hug and kissed her temple. "Keep out of trouble." With that he left and didn't look back.

::

It took him a little over nine months before he returned for to Sanctuary. It had been a call from Quinn that had prompted his return and he hadn't been the only brother called. Quinn had called Harry, who'd been back from his trip to New York anyways, Dax, Cricket, Herbert and Happy over to the house.

Quinn, Tink and Indiana lived in a red brick bungalow on the opposite side of Red Wood to Sanctuary. The lawn was well kept, the door was painted a dark blue. The inside had a spacious but dated kitchen, four bedrooms, a nice living room with comfortable black leather sofas.

"Indie is gone," Quinn said from where he was sitting at the kitchen table. He pushed a sheet of paper and the guys gathered around elbowing each other trying to read it. Happy's heart rate kicked up as he read the letter. What it came down to was that she had been accepted to a university and she needed to do this on her own. She left her phone and her cards- she said she wouldn't be needing either, and that Dax shouldn't bother looking for her.

Happy couldn't believe that she would just up and leave... then again if she hadn't everyone would have tried to stop her because they all knew exactly how Quinn would react to such news. He shouldn't have been surprised, she'd told him about the schools she'd been accepted ago last term, the ones she'd declined because she was too loyal to the club to leave during the rough patch. Part of him admired her tenacious nature, the other part wanted to drag her back to the safety of Red Willow.

"Find what school she was accepted to," Quinn ordered Dax anyway.

"She's nineteen," Tink said.

"She's out there alone."

Tink tapped the note. "Which is what she wants. To break free of the club. She needs to find her own legs without the stigma this world comes with."

"She'll be alright," Harry insisted patting Quinn on the shoulder. "She is your daughter after all."

Quinn looked right at Dax. "Find her."

It took Dax a few hours. "She has five applications, and five acceptance letters..." Dax said looking the list over and shaking his head. "She only applied to places without a Sons of Anarchy charter."

"Where is she?"

"South Dakota," Dax replied. "She is literally surrounded by States with no charters."

"Rane," Tink said softly. "I don't like this anymore than you do... but you have to let her do this. She will resent you for the rest of her life if you drag her back here."

"Closest charter, Dax?"

"Utah... maybe Manitoba."

"Rane," Tink said her eyes meeting her husbands as she took his hands in hers. "It's time to let her go."

Quinn stared at his wife for a minute and sighed. "Did she pay for campus residence?"

"Yeah," Dax replied.

"Alright, get the number for the residence... I'm at least going to get to call her."

::

Happy was in Red Willow to do a job for the Nomads, he stuck around for a little while but Sanctuary wasn't nearly as lively without Quinn's youngest.

Brooklyn had returned to work there, Mark had transferred to Nomad and there was a certain amount of animosity between he and Dax that Happy was certain was directly linked to the eldest of Quinn's children.

Most of the guys that had left after Helena was dealt with had returned now to the Nomad charter, but some of them were still driving around and helping out other charters.

He had to get back to Charming after the job was done, a fresh smiley face tattoo on his ribs.

::

It was early spring when he got a phone call from Quinn. "I need a favour."

Little did Happy know that this favour would change everything.


	31. Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quinn has to go on a run and asks Happy to keep an eye on Sanctuary- especially Indiana who is back from University on Study Week. Indiana reaches her breaking point for being babysat.

Happy met with Quinn just outside Red Willow at an out of service gas station. "Thanks for coming," he was with Harry, Cricket, Dax, Mac and Herbert. "The rest of the guys are on another run, and I needed these knuckleheads for a protection run. Alaska," he said the destination with disgust. Happy almost laughed, Quinn hated the cold and would bitch about it non-stop.

Happy understood, the guys were all going to be away, Quinn wanted to make sure that the girls weren't completely left without protection. "You want me to watch Tink and Brooke."

"Na, Tink's in Virginia a cousin of hers was killed in an car accident, funeral is tomorrow. Brooke is in Tacoma visiting Mark," Quinn's voice told Happy that the president didn't particularly like that Brooklyn was with the guy.

"So who's watching Sanctuary?" Happy asked with a raised eyebrow. If Quinn wanted him to bartend, he had another thing coming.

"Indie, she's down for study week," Quinn responded with a smile. "She's holding the fort with her friend Emily. I don't like them being there alone. Angus is there with them, but he's layed out with a broken leg and is on crutches."

Happy gave a nod. "I'll stay close."

Quinn clapped him on the shoulder. "Thanks brother."

::

Sanctuary wasn't open for business, but when he pulled in he recognized Indiana's little blue sedan. Habit had him parking over to the side of the lot and he pulled out his box of cigarettes only to find the damn thing was empty. He cursed and pushed open the door, ignoring the closed sign in the window.

There was some dance music playing and he spotted the two young women on the couch. Emily hadn't changed much, she was in a pair of skin tight black jeans and a black studded shirt.

Indiana had turned around when she'd heard him come in. Surprise turned to recognition and she smiled at him. "Hey Hap!" she hadn't changed much, she had bangs now that fell just below her eyebrows, maybe a few inches were missing from the length of her hair but it still fell straight down to the gentle curve of her back. He couldn't help the smile he gave her in return.

While the back of her shirt was peach cotton, the front was decorated in pink and gold sequence that reflected whatever light hit it. She had a little pair of black shorts on, purple pantyhose under them. Combat boots were on her feet, hot pink socks just poking over the edge.

She collided with him, her arms wrapping around his neck tightly, her body pressed against him. "I missed you." One hand stayed on her lower back as she leaned back slightly, her hands interlinked behind his neck. "You aren't mad are you? I had to leave, and I did talk to you about it, like way, way, way earlier, but I mean... I..."

"I get it," he replied looking around. "I think you scared the piss out of your dad though."

She smiled a little. "Yeah, I got an earful when Dax gave him my number, but he didn't drag me back so... it all worked out." She stepped back a bit and looked over at Emily who had a rather smug look upon her face.

"Where's Angus?"

"According to the note on the bar, he's in room five. I was to wake him when I got here, but I figured he probably needs his sleep. Some white-power douche-bag kicked him off his bike, broke his leg." She seemed to then remember her friend was there. "You remember Emily right? Em, Happy."

"I knew he had a name like one of the seven dwarfs."

Indiana shook her head and turned to Happy. "You want a beer?"

"I do," Emily cut in.

Indiana rolled her big blue eyes and Happy gave a little nod and the three of them migrated to the bar.

::

Sanctuary closed at two in the morning, but Indiana didn't manage to get the last of the drunks out until after two thirty. Angus came in as the last straggler was headed out. "You were suppose to wake me up," his voice floated from the doorway.

"Yeah, well," Indiana responded from where she was counting back the till. Happy was sitting at the bar watching her, Emily was just leaning back against the counter watching her as well. "I figured you needed the rest."

"I'm suppose to be watching you," he replied as he stared at the ground, he had been on the crutches for a while, never really got the hang of them.

"I'm nineteen, a little old for a babysitter don't you think? Besides Happy got here like an hour after I did.," Indiana responded.

Angus finally navigated the crutches to the couch and dropped down and looked at them all over the edge. "Oh, hey Hap."

Happy raised his beer in response. "You let some Nord dickhead kick you off your bike?"

"Oh yeah," Angus responded sarcastically. "It was definitely how I wanted my day to go."

Emily elbowed Indiana subtly. "He is illegally good looking," she whispered. "Was he here last time?"

"Patched," Indiana muttered back. "He might have been on a run or something, you didn't meet a lot of the guys."

"Single?"

Indiana turned and widened her eyes at Emily. "You are not a sweet-butt," she growled quietly.

"For him I could be."

With a big roll of her eyes, Indiana finished with the till and put the cash and papers in the safe behind a false side panel behind the bar.

"You stayin' here," Angus asked over the back of the couch. "Or are you heading home?"

"Home," Indiana responded. "All the rooms are rented out, and the dorm rooms are all locked. Guys left in a hurry for Alaska." Indiana snickered. "Bet Dad's pissed six ways to Sunday."

"You could stay in your parent's room here," Angus suggested. "Someone's got to watch you, and I'm just saying, I can't walk very well on these crutches."

Indiana gave Angus an incredulous look. "Stay in my parents room? Are you kidding. No. No way. I know what goes on in those dorm rooms," Indiana shuddered and shook her head in one awkward movement. "Not a chance."

"I'll watch her," Happy said.

"Yeah?" Angus asked with a big goofy smile.

"Yeah," Happy responded keeping a straight face. "Quinn requested me since you're pretty much useless."

"Thanks man," Angus responded with a laugh. He took most things in stride, and wasn't put off by Happy's serious delivery.

Indiana rubbed her eyes tiredly. "Em, you coming with me?"

"No way," Emily responded. "I rented out one of those motel rooms in advance. I'm so not going to spending my spring break-"

"Study week," Indiana immediately corrected.

Emily rolled her eyes. "We get one week to do what we want. No teacher is stupid enough to think that we study."

"I'm studying."

"Of course you are," Emily rolled her dark blue eyes. "I'm talking about normal people- anyways, I'm not spending it with my parents, and since you insisted we come back to Red Willow, I'm at least getting to stay here."

Indiana seemed to do the same thing Happy did, followed Emily's mischievous eyes to Angus. "Yeah, whatever," Indiana decided. "But you have to get out, I got to lock up the bar."

Angus started to struggle to his feet clumsily on the crutches and Emily hurried to give him assistance. Indiana smiled over at Happy and nodded her head in Emily and Angus's direction.

"Hey, Indie?"

"Yeah Em?" Indiana yawned in return.

"Can I have your car? What if I need to-"

"Here," Indiana tossed the keys over to her friend. "Don't crash it."

"I won't, Christ, one little mistake and I never hear the end of it."

"You hit a parked car!"

"Once! And it was Professor Alan, guy is a total d-bag, I was like a tool of cosmic karma."

Indiana got everyone out and Emily insisted on helping Angus to the motel room, after all, she was in the room down- or at least that was her excuse.

"Guess I get to ride with you," Indiana said coyly as she locked the door to Sanctuary.

"Guess so," Happy replied.

::

Happy turned off the engine, but Indiana was still holding tightly around his middle. "You okay?" he asked.

He heard her laughter. "Yeah, yeah, I'm good." She got off the motorcycle and the streetlight gave just enough light so he could see her. She was smiling and looking right at him. "It is completely different riding at night." She stretched out up on her tiptoes, her arms above her head causing her shirt to ride up and a sliver of skin to show. She let out a sigh, unzipped her purse and fished around for her keys as she walked over the stone pathway to the front door.

She unlocked the door and went in first kicking off her combat boots and stripping off her hot pink socks tossing them in the laundry room that was right off the entrance way. She slid a little on the hardwood floors in her purple pantyhose. She let out a yawn as she turned back to face him. "Um, you can take my bed," she offered.

"I'll take the couch," he replied.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"And you know... where everything is?"

"Yeah," he'd been there a few times before.

"Alright," she replied shifting in her stance a little awkwardly. "Well... good night."

He nodded and she turned and walked down the hall and he heard the door quietly shut behind her.

::

Happy awoke to the scent of coffee brewing. He got up, quickly used the washroom and then moved slowly to the kitchen. He caught sight of the clock on the wall and shook his head. It was a little before nine. He spotted Indiana in the kitchen. She had her elbows on the counter, bent over as she stared at the coffee machine as it drop by drop filled the pot. She was still dressed in her pajamas too, little pair of skin tight black shorts that left little to the imagination, and a yellow babydoll top that appeared to be made of silk.

"Come on," she begged the machine quietly. "Hurry up!"

"Watching it won't make it brew faster." He smiled a she jumped.

"Jesus!" She huffed out a breath. "You scared me!"

"Sorry," he replied leaning lazily against the doorway. "What are you doing up so early?"

"I have things to do," she replied. "I have to do the orders at the bar and they have to be in by noon." She opened the fridge. "I'm going for a run after breakfast, you want bacon and eggs? I want bacon and eggs."

"Sure."

She got everything out that she'd need and checked the coffee maker before she started whisking eggs. "I'm making scrambled, hope that's okay. I try making sunny side up and they end up scrambled anyway."

He smiled, just a little. "Wait," his mind started to fully wake up. "Run? Run where?"

"Uh, I usually do three miles in the morning."

"Why?"

She laughed. "Because it keeps me in shape, and I'm on the track team at school."

"You've got to be kidding me," he muttered.

"You don't have to come with me Hap, I know Dad told you to watch out for me, but I'll be just fine."

"If something happens to you, your father will kill me."

"You could always blame- ow shit." She backed away from the spitting bacon and dunked her hand under the faucet and turned the water on cold.

He walked over to her and peered over her shoulder inspecting the little red mark on her hand. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she responded softly looking up at him. "Uh..." she shook her head and looked back down at her hand. "Could you... um... finish flipping the bacon before it burns?"

He agreed and finished it up, managing not to get burned in the process.

::

She was running circles around him. Literally. He was in good shape, but she was a runner, she did this on a daily basis.

"You need to quit smoking," she told him as she ran around him once again and then proceeded to jog backwards just in front of him. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, her bangs bouncing with every step. Her blue athletic tank fit to her body, and the jogging pants gave her a defined outline, it was sexy as hell and he was trying not to think about it.

He slowed to a complete stop and pulled his cigarettes out from the back pocket of his jeans- it wasn't like he had anything more comfortable to go running in. He didn't go running. He only ran when he was chasing someone down and when that happened, he was in his jeans anyways.

Indiana shook her head. "I'll meet you back at the house then."

"The hell," he said grabbing her around her waist when she went to run off. He pulled her in, held her tight and still managed to get his lighter out and his cigarette lit. He put the lighter away and blew out some smoke, careful not to blow it near her face. "What part of I'm suppose to watch you did you not understand."

"What part of I don't need a babysitter do you not comprehend?" she responded turning to glare at him. "I thought me going away for university would be a good way to get my Dad to let go. I'm alone all the time in the city. I live with Em. I go out with friends. You know what? Nothing happens."

"Your father has enemies, if they wanted to hurt him, they only need to get to one of his girls."

Indiana stared at him for a second, she was silent and he wondered if she was done arguing.

"Red Willow is my home," Indiana responded maintaining eye contact with him. "If I'm not safe to do as I please here, then maybe I shouldn't come back." He opened his mouth to protest but she shook her head and continued. "I'm cutting the cord, Hap. I can stand on my own feet. I'm not going to spend the rest of my life being watched over. I want my freedom and I'll have it. Now let me go, Hap."

He didn't want to. He enjoyed feeling the flat plains of her stomach. He liked the scent of her, the feel of her back pressed to his chest. The realization that he didn't want to let her go, might have been the thing to make him.

She stood there for a second and then let out a small sigh. "I'll see you at the house."

He watched her run off as he took a drag from the cigarette. One way or another, she would be the death of him, he was sure of it.


	32. Desperate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Indiana sneaking off to meet up with an old boyfriend is the breaking point for Happy. Feelings they've both denied for years come to a boiling point.

Happy turned off the motorcycle. Indiana let go of him and got off the bike. She was dressed in a pair of blue jeans with bleach stains, and a white beater, a blue shirt left unbuttoned over top. He knew she usually wore such things when she was going to clean the bar as not to get stains on the clothing she actually preferred. She had her school backpack on and he figured she was going to try and fit in some studying.

Her phone made a chirping sound and she pulled it out, smiled a bit and typed out a reply. She looked up, smiled at Emily and Angus who were sitting on the picnic table and gave them a wave. "Good morning!"

"Morning," Emily replied but quickly turned back to Angus. "And I'm telling you, I could so."

"Could what?" Indiana asked curiously.

"Kick his ass in a game of pool."

Happy shook his head.

"I could," Emily insisted standing up with a fierce expression, her hands on her hips. "I could kick your ass too."

Happy glared at the girl. "No, you couldn't."

"Fifty bucks says I can."

He couldn't back down from the issued challenge. "Your loss."

Indiana shook her head. "Angus, make sure neither of them cheats."

Angus laughed as he fumbled with his crutches following the others toward Sanctuary's main door. Indiana unlocked it and walked in looking around at the mess from the night before "Em..."

"Don't worry, after the game I'll help you clean it."

Indiana nodded. "I have to do the ordering before it's late," she told them as she walked toward the hallway. "Play nicely!"

::

Emily kept checking her phone as they played the game. Happy had to give it to the girl, she could play the game fairly well, but ultimately she still lost.

"Damn it," she muttered pulling a couple twenties and a few fives to make up the fifty dollar bet. She shook her head and handed the money over. "Nice game."

"Double or nothing," Happy said with a grin.

"Do I look stupid?" Emily replied shaking her head. "Na, I got to get cleaning this place."

Angus looked around and then frowned. "Where is Indie? Never takes her so long to order."

"She hasn't done it in a while," Emily defended her friend quickly.

Happy's eyes went to the clock on the wall, it was past noon. The order should have already been in. He walked away ignoring Emily calling him back. He pushed open the door to the back room and cursed. Indiana was gone.

He stormed back angrily. "Where is she?" Emily turned and looked at Angus. "I wasn't asking him."

Emily slowly turned back to Happy and looked worried. "I don't know where she is."

"Not the right answer."

"I don't, I really don't. She asked me to keep you two busy while she went out."

"Out where?"

"She didn't tell me," Emily replied. "I don't need to know her every move. She's out with Jake."

He remembered the girls talking about this guy before. "Why?"

Emily rolled her eyes. "Because they've been dating for nearly a year off and on. They kind of broke it off when they went to different states for college, but they're both here for study week, I guess they wanted to hook up."

Happy turned to Angus who looked a little pissed but shrugged. "Quinn figured I was useless on one leg, right?"

"You putting this on me?"

"I'm saving myself."

::

Happy knew that she had to return to the bar before it opened. Emily had finished cleaning a little after three and Indiana was still gone. Since her car was still in the lot, he knew she must have been picked up. The longer he waited, the angrier he got.

It wasn't the guy, it wasn't that she was 'hooking up.' It wasn't. Or at least he tried to convince himself that it wasn't. It was that she had left while he was in charge of her safety. That was all it was.

He watched from the window as a little black car pulled in. Indiana got out of the passenger side and the boy, Jake got out of the drivers side. He was maybe a little shorter than Indiana, dark hair, jeans and t-shirt. Indiana had changed and he figured it was that change of clothing that had been in her backpack rather than books. She was in some shiny black skirt that put her long athletic legs on display, something she nearly always had covered completely in leggings. The red shirt she wore over it was eye catching, complimented her skin-tone and the v-line drew the eye.

She was smiling as Jake picked her up and set her down on the car. When she brushed her lips against his Happy looked away, got up and got himself a shot of bourbon trying to wash down the spike of emotion he really didn't want to label as jealousy.

Over the course of fifteen minutes, another three shots followed. With every minute passed his anger grew. She shouldn't be with some boy. She was a part of this club. She belonged with a Son.

Seven shots in and he was furious and maybe not thinking as clearly as he should have been when he stormed out of Sanctuary. Indiana was still perched upon the hood of the car, her legs idle to the sides of Jake, but her arms were wrapped around the guys neck loosely as they kissed. Jake's hand slid up her side, under the red shirt but it didn't get too far before Happy grabbed the young man's arm and pulled him away from Indiana.

"Hap!"

"Hey, what the-" the kids sentence died when Happy raised his fist, Jake grimaced and put an arm up.

"Get the hell out of here, and don't come back," Happy warned in a low, dangerous tone.

Jake quickly nodded and without sparing a glance at Indiana who jumped off the hood. Jake got into his vehicle and Happy even heard the locks click.

"What the hell was that?" Indiana looked at him, he face flush and her eyes narrowed in her anger.

He just grabbed her arm and started dragging her toward Sanctuary as the car peeled out of the lot. Her long legs were able to keep up with his angry gait. "What the fuck are you doing with him?"

"Him... Jake?" The door to Sanctuary closed behind them with a slam but Happy didn't pause in the bar as he continued to drag her along. "We're together... well we were... and then we weren't... and now apparently we really aren't since you scared him off."

He pulled her into his dorm room and kicked the door shut. "You shouldn't be with some boy who gets scared off like that." He backed her up into the wall by the mid sized dresser, pinning her body there with his.

She apparently didn't have a defence, she just stared at him. He thought about the flush in her cheeks earlier and couldn't help but wonder if it was from anger, or arousal and the thought angered him. She let some piss poor excuse for a man touch her like that, have his hands on her skin, and she said that they had been together.

"Hap?" Her wide eyes stared at him. Her breath was a little shaky. A long moment hung in the air and when she tried to move away, his hands found her hips and pinned her back to the wall once again.

"You let him touch you." His hand slid under her shirt feeling the soft skin and flat planes of her athletic body. His hands pressed possessively like he was trying to erase the other man's touch. For the first time in his memory, she was speechless. She didn't push him away, she didn't move, she was silent but for the quickened breaths.

He couldn't help it, the overwhelming need to prove his point- that she needed to be with a man, with a Son. His hand slid down, out from under her shirt, over the shimmering fabric of her skirt. His fingertips slid under her skirt and bunched it up to her hips in one quick movement, his eyes never leaving hers. He told himself if he saw fear there that he would walk away, but she just had this curious expression as if she couldn't quite believe what was happening.

His thumb skimmed over her panties and her hip jumped a bit. His eyes trailed down her body to her panties, beige silk covered with hot pink and lime green lace. Sometimes he swore she was colour blind but none the less they were sexy as hell. "Wearing shit like this for some fuck up like him," a finger slid under the side and gave them a pull. The silk fell down to her ankles and he gave her a little pull into him so she had to step out and then pushed her back against the wall.

She fucking whimpered, her fingers digging into the shoulders of his kutte her eyes meeting his were filled with needy desperation. She was gorgeous, lithe, all fair skin, long blonde hair, big blue eyes. His eyes ran over the pure skin of her neck, down to her chest rising and falling with her quickened breath.

"What? You like it rough?" his voice rasped, his forehead resting against hers, their eyes locked in a battle of wills. His hand slipped between her legs and two fingers speared into her quickly, his bulky gold rings not allowing him to go further. A pained cry escaped her lips, her fingernails digging into his kutte. It took a second to register because he was completely dumbfounded by it. "Guess he wasn't much of a man, couldn't manage to get you wet." He pulled his fingers from her slowly, not wanting to cause her harm.

"Make me." She said it so quietly he almost thought that he'd imagined it but for the fact that she repeated it, but this time it was more of a plea. "Make me, Hap, please."

Any self-control he might have had was gone. His hand tangled in her long locks, his lips clashed against hers, and it was nothing short of savage. She met the demand, her arms wrapped around her neck tightly and when he grabbed her ass and lifted her, her legs wrapped immediately around his waist.

He gave her hair a pull and she let out a gasp. His lips trailed along the column of her neck as he carried her away from the wall and set her down on the dresser. His hands slid under her shirt and pulled it up over her head and it was tossed unceremoniously to the floor. His eyes went to her breasts. Her bra was at least one colour, hot pink. He was quick to dispose of it, tossed it on the floor somewhere between her panties and her shirt.

She was appearing vulnerable and her arms moved to cover herself but he grabbed her by the wrists and forced her hands to the top of the dresser. She opened her mouth as if to speak but her words became this sweet sigh as his calloused hands roamed up her body. Her legs tightened around him as his thumbs ran over her rosy nipples.

His name fell from her lips, little more than a breath. He wanted nothing more in that moment than to pleasure her in such a way that she'd never go to anyone else.

Her hands slid under his kutte and she took it off, folded it in half and set it down carefully on the dresser next to her. She looked a little more nervous as her fingertips flirted with the hem of his shirt. Her hands were warm as they skimmed along his abdomen and quickly moved pulling the shirt over his head. The shirt wasn't given the same respect as the kutte and it was tossed, mingling with the other discarded clothing on the floor.

Pupils lust blown, her eyes looked incredibly dark but for the small ring of dark blue. She looked over his body, the tattoos, the old scars of a reckless youth. Her tongue peeked out, moistening her lips. Her hands ran down the snake tattoo on his chest, lower and lower but he grabbed her wrist before she could do anything about his jeans. She pouted just slightly.

This was a game of dominance, and he fully intended on coming out on top. He had a point to prove. His mouth returned to her neck, trailed down and he bit her collarbone. She let out a little yelp and he soothed his tongue over the mark that would surely bruise. He smiled at his handwork. He continued his way down, ran his tongue over a hard nipple. His hand squeezed her breast, his other hand was slowly inching up the smooth skin of her thigh.

The curse that escaped her lip was soft, needy. Her legs tightened around him and she rocked her hips against his. He was achingly hard and this time didn't fight it when she frantically fussed with his belt, the button to the jeans or the zipper. He kicked off his boots and got the jeans off, by that time she had slid off the dresser. She wasn't all that much shorter than him in her little heels but she still had to look up, more when she wrapped her arms around his neck, she had to pull him down a bit in order to press her lips against his.

His hands slid down her lower back tried the delicate zipper on her skirt but it got caught and so he gave it a good pull and the flimsy material ripped around the zipper and it fell from her hips. He didn't give her time to get angry about it, his lips just reclaimed hers as he walked forward, forcing her back against the wall once again. One hand tangling in her long blonde hair, the other sliding between her legs. A cocky grin took over his face, his fingertips sliding through her wetness.

She appeared surprised by her own bodies response and she was panting as he teased her, fingers running through her delicate folds. "Fuck. Hap," she reached for his cock but he grabbed both of her wrists and pinned her there against the wall. Naked and desperate, she shivered. "Please."

He kept her hands pinned with one hand, not that he expected much of a fight. His other hand trailed between her breasts, down her abdomen, she jerked as his fingertips grazed along her hip. "I thought you were with Jake," he growled possessively.

"I..." she blinked and seemed to have trouble finding words. "I never loved him. He left. I'm not with him."

"And who are you with?"

"You. I'm with you. Happy, please," her words were quick, dire.

His free hand darted between her legs, and this time when he speared her with two fingers, she was ready, hot and wet.

Her moans and quick, muttered pleas urged him on.

"Open your eyes," he demanded and they flew open. The poor lighting in the room didn't help, her pupils were huge, the little ring of blue. He wanted her to see who it was doing these things to her, wanted to burn it to her memory as he twisted his fingers slightly earning a gasp from her.

She managed to pull one arm free from his grasp in a swift movement, she wrapped it around his neck and pulled him to her. She kissed him, her teeth nipping his bottom lip as his fingers rammed into her ruthlessly.

Her vocabulary seemed to have been limited to: please, right there, faster, yes, harder. On occasion she managed his name and it sounded incredibly sexy in her pleasure ruined voice. Every word was nothing short of her begging.

Words seem to have had their time, and she was reduced to incoherent moans as she rocked her hips trying to keep up with his near brutal pace. Feeling her legs tremble he let go of her other arm and she held onto his shoulders, nails biting into his skin.

The moans took on frustrated edge, like she was right there on the edge and simply couldn't get off no matter how much she wanted it.

She managed an angry curse and she looked close to tears. "I can't."

He pulled his fingers from her and she whimpered. He shucked off his boxers in a quick movement. He grabbed a condom from the top of the dresser, discarded the foil and rolled it on. He lifted her, her back against the wall, her arms wrapped around his neck, her legs around his waist and he could feel the heat, how wet she was before he ever entered her.

He thrust, and enjoyed how fucking tight she was. She wasn't some croweater who'd been used up, tossed around- no, she was tight and hot and so very wet. One of her legs slipped and he grabbed her under the knee as he continued thrusting, finally completely inside of her. She got her ankles locked again and her lips found his as he found the same intense pace that he'd had with his fingers.

Her back bowed and she cried out, more begging from her lips. "Please, Hap, harder. Please, I need you, please, please, please."

All he wanted was to please her, possess her.

They were relentless as they climbed. He groaned as her body tightened and he knew she was close. His forehead pressed against hers. Her eyes stared back at him as he nearly pulled out. "Come for me," his raspy voice demanded as he thrust back inside of her completely.

And she did just that. Her body tightened, her nails left red marks on his flesh, she cried out deliriously. Eventually he realized she was saying his name, over and over and over again and it was the final straw on his control as he lost himself in her calling out her name in return.

"Indiana."

He still had her pressed against the wall, her legs were still wrapped tightly around him, he was still inside of her. Her arms were around his neck, her hands hung loosely, her head rested on his shoulder and he could feel her panting breaths on his skin. His forehead touched her shoulder as he managed to keep them upright despite his shaking legs.

_Indiana._

**Indiana.**

Jesus fucking Christ.

Regret and guilt teamed up to go to war against him. This was Indiana. Indiana! Not some tall, blonde haired, blue eyed croweater. Not some random woman he'd picked up. This was Quinn's daughter.

He pulled out of her and carefully set her down, her hand went to the dresser to steady herself. She had a blissed-out smile on her face, she was a little flushed but seemed fine. "That wa-"

"That shouldn't have happened."

And just like that the blissed-out smile was gone. "Hap?"

He turned away, took off the used condom and disposed of it before he started to pull on his boxers and then his jeans. He had expected her to start getting dressed but she just stood there watching him with a wounded expression.

"Was it something I-"

"You're...fuck," Happy ran his hands over his head in frustration.

"I'm Quinn's kid, right?" She bit back with heat of anger as she finally moved, grabbing her panties and pulling them back on.

"Yeah."

She didn't say anything as she grabbed her bra and fitted it back to her body, cursing when she didn't get the snap closed on the first try. She got it on and stared at her skirt for a moment. "I'm not some fucking kid, Hap," she finally said as she bent over to pick her skirt up.

No, she wasn't a kid. He wasn't blind. He could see that clearly. Still, she was years his junior, and the daughter of a friend. It was wrong. As much as he didn't want her with some nameless outsider... he she deserved better than him.

She pulled on her skirt but it didn't want to stay, she cursed and held it in place. She turned to him and opened her mouth and he expected an angry tirade, but instead it was quiet words that still managed to cut like a knife. "I think I've always loved you, you know that? Not like I love the other guys either."

"You don't know shit about love."

She turned and slapped him across the face and he knew that she could have thrown a wicked punch if she'd wanted to. This somehow seemed more insulting.

"No Hap," she replied glaring up at him, her eyes welling with tears. "You are the one who don't know shit about love."

They were in a dead lock staring at each other when they heard the rumble of a motorcycle. Happy went to the window and split the blinds to look out. "Fuck." Indiana was at his side in a second, looking out. She quickly turned and stormed from the room. "Fuck, fuck, fuck," Happy grabbed his shirt and pulled it on, hurrying after her.

He caught up with her, following her out of the hallway just as Quinn walked in. "Traded off the run with a brother in Oregon, figure you're only down for a week... Indie?" Quinn said coming around the corner. He stared at the two a second. "Indiana?"

Happy figured Quinn must have noticed his daughters tears. Happy's heart hammered in his chest.

"I don't need to hear it dad," she said raising a hand. "Happy has already given me the lecture on boys," Indiana said angrily and Happy nearly sighed in relief. She wasn't throwing him under the bus. She pulled up her skirt a bit again, and Quinn's hands curled into fists.

"Who is he?" Quinn asked furiously.

"Doesn't matter," Indiana responded with just as much anger. "God knows I'll be alone forever. None of the guys at school here ever wanted to be close to me." Her emotions in disarray had her bringing up things she might not have normally. "I'm Rane Quinn's daughter. No one is that fucking suicidal. Only guys who did were ones who wanted to get in with the club, thought I was some stepping stone."

"Indi-"

"Do you have any idea, Dad," her voice nearly broke. "The weight of your shadow?"

Happy didn't need to see her face to know that she was crying, he could hear it in her voice, thick with hurt.

Quinn's anger was defused by his daughter's tears. "Come here, sweetheart."

Indiana wavered, her arms hugging around herself. "I just want to go home."

"I'll take you, come on." It took prodding but Indiana finally stepped up to her father who's arm went protectively around her shoulder. "Thanks for watching her Happy."

The knife of guilt twisted and Happy could do nothing but nod.

Indiana gave him one last look, there was contempt, longing, anger, and grief all waring for supremacy before she turned away and then... she was gone.

**Author's Note:**

> Next in Series: Fourth Time Lucky


End file.
